Daily Observer (Jamaica)

Businessma­n rates Holness as Jamaica’s best PM

- BY ARTHUR HALL

BUSINESS tycoon Ian Levy is convinced Andrew Holness will go down in history as one of the best, if not the best prime ministers Jamaica has ever had.

According to Levy, Holness, who is Jamaica’s ninth prime minister, was always destined to lead the country and do a great job.

“I have known the prime minister for several years and

I think that from the first time we met… I knew that this young man was going to be prime minister. I don’t even think he knew that he was going to be prime minister but I knew,” declared Levy during a recent function staged by Supreme Ventures Limited to recognise his contributi­on to the company as a founding director.

“I looked at him and I saw how he spoke, the brilliance in this man, his integrity [and] everything about him and I said that this young guy will be prime minister of Jamaica. From that day I decided that I would be beside this man.

“I said, ‘I am going to give him all the possible help that I can to make sure that my dream and belief that I had becomes a reality’,” added Levy, who is a known supporter of the Holness-led Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

Levy said he was overjoyed to see his dream come through with Holness becoming Jamaica’s prime minister in 2011.

“I was not only correct in my belief, but I really, really believe that time will tell that this prime minister is going to be one of the best, if not the best prime minister that this country has ever produced,” said Levy to applause from the audience which included Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke.

“And I want you to know that my belief, and my investment in him, is the greatest investment that I have ever made in my life. His performanc­e has given a tenfold return to me as an individual and as a Jamaican and I regard my investment as tenfold because it is the best investment I have ever made.

“Andrew will be a great prime minister and a great asset to this country,” added

Levy, who argued that Jamaica has produced political leaders who can stand with the best anywhere else in the world.

“We should not be only boasting about [athletics mega star] Usain Bolt, we should also be boasting about Nigel Clarke and Andrew Holness who are Usain Bolts in their own fields,” Levy declared.

The now 48-year-old Holness became Jamaica’s prime minister in October 2011 when he was selected by the JLP to replace Bruce Golding who had resigned from the post. He unsuccessf­ully led the JLP into the 2012 General Election which he had called, but survived an internal challenge to lead the party to victory in the 2016 General Election before marshallin­g the JLP to a blow-out of the People’s National Party in this year’s general election.

 ?? (Photo: Joseph Wellington) ?? Prime Minister Andrew Holness (right) and business tycoon Ian Levy greet each other at a recent Supreme Ventures Limited to honour Levy, who is one of its founding directors.
(Photo: Joseph Wellington) Prime Minister Andrew Holness (right) and business tycoon Ian Levy greet each other at a recent Supreme Ventures Limited to honour Levy, who is one of its founding directors.

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