Andrew Michael Holness was born to working class parents in the southern city of Spanish Town, on July 22nd, 1972. He attended the St. Catherine High School where he was both head boy and valedictorian. He is also a graduate of the University of the West Indies where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management Studies and a Master of Science Degree in Development Studies. In 1994, prior to entering representational politics, Mr. Holness worked as the Executive Director of one of Jamaica’s oldest non-government organizations (NGOs), the Voluntary Organization for Uplifting Children (VOUCH) and in that capacity, led extensive social work in several inner city communities of Kingston. In 1996 he joined the Premium Group of Companies and functioned as a special assistant to then Leader of the Opposition, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga. In his capacity as personal assistant, he was assigned the responsibility of developing poverty reduction and social investment policies for the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP).

According to Jared Mcallister, “in 1997 at the age of 25 he was first elected to the House of Representatives to represent his home district of West Central St. Andrew as Member of Parliament.” He served as Opposition Spokesperson on Land and Development from 1999 to 2002. In 2002 he switched portfolio to Housing and in 2005 Holness was asked by the new leader of the JLP, Bruce Golding, to take on the topical issue of education. He was sworn in as the Minister of Education after the JLP won the September 2007 general election. He has also served as Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives and, by extension, the man responsible for electoral matters in that chamber since 2008. Following endorsements from outgoing Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, and government Members of Parliament, he succeeded Bruce Golding as both Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party and Prime Minister.

On October 23^rd 2011, Mr. Holness became Jamaica’s youngest Prime Minister and the first born after the nation’s independence in 1962. Holness in his 15^th year of representational politics was sworn in by affirmation on Sunday October 23, 2011 as Jamaica’s ninth Prime Minister. Andrew Holness, a Seventh Day Adventist by faith, is married to Juliet, a chartered accountant and businesswoman and they have two boys, Adam and Matthew. Mr. Holness enjoys a game of chess, jogging, cycling and a round of table tennis.

“Profiles of Cabinet Ministers.” http://www.jis.gov.jm “Jamaica-Andrew Holness ‘sworn in’ as Jamaica’s new Prime Minister” Sunday 23^rd October 2011