Dr. Dana Morris Dixon Sworn in as Cabinet Minister
SENATOR DR. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon was sworn in as Cabinet Minister during a ceremony at King’s House on May 25.
She will serve as Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, with direct oversight for Skills and Digital Transformation as well as the National Identification System (NIDS) and the Registrar General’s Department (RGD).
The new Minister comes to the position with several years of experience working in the private and banking sectors and serving as Commissioner of the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission (JETC) in 2020.
Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness in welcoming the new Minister, said she will play a vital role in implementing the recommendations of the JETC draft report on vocational training in Jamaica, as well as the HEART/NSTA Trust.
He further informed that Senator Morris Dixon will be tasked with executing a programme that targets the approximately 700,000 Jamaicans who are not formally counted in the labour force.
It is expected that in reaching these individuals, they will be exposed to adequate training and certification that are aligned with the needs of the private sector, the evolution of technology and economic growth.
“Having achieved the lowest unemployment rate in our independent history, the major barrier to growth is no longer capital; the major barrier to growth is the availability of skilled labour,” the Prime Minister said.
In response, Minister Morris Dixon committed to “working really hard”, in achieving the targets outlined.
“Having achieved the lowest unemployment rate in our independent history, the major barrier to growth is no longer capital; the major barrier to growth is the availability of skilled labour.”