One Year In Government - Prime Minister Andrew Holness

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Jodi-Ann Gilpin
Gleaner Writer
THE HEARTLESS incidents of
violence towards women and
children that have been stifling
Jamaica’s development have not gone
unnoticed by Juliet Holness, wife
of the country’s prime
minister, Andrew
Holness. She has
made a passionate
plea for females
to become
independent.
In recent
weeks, the
country has
been
grappling with a spate of heinous murders of
women and young girls. And Holness
described the situation as most unfortunate,
but noted that everyone had a role to play in
ending it.
GET OUT OF ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
“ ... I want our women to become far more
independent. There are those who find
themselves in a position where they
are abused because they are
dependent and they need the
man’s resources. They
sometimes know that they
are in a relationship with
somebody that’s not quite
right, and when you feel
it, get out,” she advised.
“If you are married
or you are the spouse
of someone who is not treating you well; if
he is hitting you today, he’s going to hit you
tomorrow and the next day, and so the first
opportunity you get, get out and don’t go
back. When you ‘cut’, ‘cut’ for good,” she
continued.
She strongly advised women to get
themselves qualified and equipped to avoid
being dependent on a man for survival.
“Try to become more independent, because
sometimes when you are dependent, you
know that something is not quite right but you
are left to work around it because you need
this person to take care of you,” Holness said.
“My encouragement to women is to become
as independent as possible to be able to take
care of yourself because once you are
(independent), it makes you feel far stronger,
to be able to step out and move on from
anyone who is not treating you with respect
and dignity. I feel that places you less at risk
for being abused or killed.”
She also said her hope is for Jamaica to
see zero murders.
“When I pray I don’t ask for reduced
murders, I pray for zero – no murders in
Jamaica,” she declared.
“When I look at crime in Jamaica, I realise
that it is not a widespread issue. If you even
look at the statistics, you realise that there are
pockets and various issues that happen in those
pockets which result in those incidents.”
SHE HAS had to be awake at least two hours earlier and her life is
much busier, having to balance being a mother, wife of Jamaica’s
prime minister and a member of parliament (MP). However, Juliet
Holness thoroughly enjoys giving service and pledges to continue
fulfilling those roles effectively.
Mrs Holness would like to express a big thank you to Jamaica, as
what was previously a New Year’s resolution is now reality, as she
is up by 4:30 every morning to get some exercise done – an activity
she fully enjoys.
“A typical day for me has actually changed. I now get up much
earlier than I used to. So I am awake from 4:30 in the morning, just
to be able to ensure that I get in some exercise. I then sort out
breakfast for the children, get them out of bed and get them ready
for school. Some mornings I get help taking them to school, other
mornings I do it myself so that we can get a chance to chat, and it is
the same at the end of school,” she told The Gleaner.
“It is healthy to start exercising, it means that your brain is a lot
sharper and more focused and your body feels a lot better. So I have
to thank the country that I am finally at this place and I am forced
to not say tomorrow or put it off, or just make it a New Year’s
resolution,” she said with a burst of laughter.
SERIOUS ABOUT PARENTING
The prime minister’s wife, however, did not mince words as she
expressed how serious she was in ensuring that her children do not
suffer and that her role as a mother is not neglected.
“If we are the best at being prime minister, wife of the prime
minister and MP and we have failed with our children, then we are
still failures,” she declared.
“I made up my mind and I decided that you cannot let the
children suffer. So you still have to find time for homework and
projects and make sure that they are doing well. I am always having
to be mindful that God blessed me with two boys, and I have a
responsibility to ensure that they are aware of how to treat women
well, they are aware of how they should be treated, and they are
aware of their own responsibility to their family, wider community
and the country,” she continued.
She said she is most grateful that her sons have adjusted nicely
and have remained grounded.
“They are settling in quite nicely. Still shy, but I am happy that
they are level-headed and grounded. They don’t feel as if they are
important at all, and I am very happy for that. As far as
they are concerned, they are very normal
and they don’t think there is anything
special about them, and I
would love for them to keep it
that way,” she said.
She, too, is adjusting to the
public life and has accepted
that she is aware that there will be harsh criticisms thrown at her
husband, but noted she still intends to give him her full support.
“I believe it is important that we have someone who can be very
frank and tell you where you are going wrong and give suggestions.
I don’t get very worked up at all. People will have constructive
criticisms, people will also have their own biases, but at the
end of the day, I don’t dwell on that,” she said.
• • gleanerjamaica • jamaicagleaner • FEATURE THE GLEANER, THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017 H2
STRONGER RÉSUMÉ, LESS ABUSE
JULIET HOLNESS ADVISES WOMEN TO BE INDEPENDENT
Family first in Juliet’s day
PHOTOS BY JERMAINE BARNABY/
FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
Juliet, wife of Prime Minister
Andrew Holness talks about
family, women and being a
member of Parliament.