PM Andrew Holness receives Esri President’s Award for Jamaica’s GIS Innovation

 Jamaica: Prime Minister Andrew Holness has received the 2026 Esri President’s Award on behalf of the Government of Jamaica in recognition of the country’s leadership in using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to improve public planning, disaster preparedness and data-driven governance.

The award was presented to PM Holness during the 2026 Esri User Conference in San Diego, California. Jamaica was recognised for its development of an integrated national geospatial infrastructure and its use of GIS technology to support data-driven governance.

“I’m deeply honored to accept this recognition on behalf of the people of Jamaica, the public officers of Jamaica who are here, our emergency responders, our GIS professionals, our community volunteers and our international partners,” he said while accepting the award.

He also talked about the impact of Hurricane Mellisa and said that because of years of pragmatic diplomacy, “our friends were many in our time of crisis.”

PM Holness shared moments from the award ceremony on his social media handle and said that he was honoured to accept the award on behalf of the people of Jamaica.

He said that “Jamaica has the talent, the vision, and the determination to lead.” He added that the government will continue to harness technology to create new opportunities, strengthen the country and secure a brighter future for its people.

Today, I was honoured to receive the Esri President’s Award in recognition of Jamaica’s leadership in using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to solve real-world challenges.

Jamaica has the talent, the vision, and the determination to lead. We will continue to harness… pic.twitter.com/xFPvtqnEnN

— Andrew Holness (@AndrewHolnessJM) July 14, 2026

The PM also highlighted the role of GIS technology during Hurricane Melissa. He said that it helped authorities to identify where assistance was needed most, and also determined which roads needed to be cleared and reach the people who needed support.

He further noted that, “through real-time data and mapping, we were able to better understand the scale of the impact, guide critical decisions, and coordinate support during a time of national crisis.”

PM Holness said that Jamaica’s response was built on years of investment, training and collaboration. He dedicated this award to public officers, emergency responders, GIS professionals, community volunteers, the diaspora, and international partners who supported the country when needed.

He also stated that Jamaica is learning from how cities around the world are using GIS in order to solve real-world problems and remain committed to harnessing technology for growth and development.

He added that the country’s participation in the Esri User Conference reflects the progress it has made and reaffirms its commitment to using innovation for improving the lives of Jamaicans.