Juliet Holness Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Most Honourable
Juliet Holness
Honorific-Suffix:MP
Office:Speaker of the House of Representatives
Term Start:26 September 2023
Predecessor:Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert
Office3:Member of Parliament
Constituency3:St. Andrew East Rural
Term Start3:3 March 2016
Predecessor3:Damion Crawford
Birth Name:Juliet Landell
Birth Date:July 16, 1971
Birth Place:St. Catherine Parish, Jamaica
Party:Jamaica Labour Party
Children:2

Juliet Holness (née Landell; born July 16, 1971) is a Jamaican politician who is the current Speaker of the House of Representatives and Member for Saint Andrew East Rural. She is married to Andrew Holness, the Prime Minister of Jamaica.[1]

Early life and education

Holness was born in Spanish Town, St. Catherine.[2] She attended St. Catherine High School and undertook Sixth form studies at Wolmers' Girls' School. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting and economics, and a master's degree in accounting, from the University of the West Indies, Mona.[3]

Professional career

Holness' first full-time job after graduating was with KPMG, a multinational professional services and accountancy firm. Speaking in 2021, she said: "I got a promotion about every six months, which was unprecedented, because I saw the company as my company. I was always very aggressive about collecting their money."[4]

In 1997, she joined PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and worked her way up to the role of senior auditor before leaving when she was pregnant with her first child. Afterwards, she worked for a period as an accountant for Jamaica Biscuit Company.

Holness was also a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. She has also worked as a freelance accounting consultant, real estate developer, and financial controller.[5]

Political career

After her husband, became Prime Minister of Jamaica in 2016, Holness announced the launch of the Save Our Boys Foundation, which was aimed at helping street boys.[6]

Holness was elected to Parliament in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020. In 2023, she was elected Speaker.[7]

Personal life

In 1997 she married Andrew Holness, whom she had met as a student at St. Catherine High School during the 1980s.[8] They have two children.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2021-07-20 . Jamaica's Prime Minister and wife celebrate 24th wedding anniversary . 2023-06-27 . Jamaica Observer . en-US.
  2. Web site: Members of Parliament . 2024-04-25 . www.japarliament.gov.jm.
  3. Web site: HE Mrs. Juliet Holness Jamaica . 2024-04-24 . SCLAN . en.
  4. Web site: Knight . Candiece . 2021-03-08 . IWD 2021: Juliet Holness – Challenge accepted - All Woman . 2024-04-24 . www.jamaicaobserver.com . en-US.
  5. Web site: 2011-11-20 . Juliet Holness:Jamaica is safe in Andrew's hands . 2024-04-24 . jamaica-gleaner.com . en.
  6. Web site: 2011-11-13 . PM's wife to launch ambitious project . 2024-04-25 . jamaica-gleaner.com . en.
  7. Web site: 2023-09-26 . Juliet Holness elected House Speaker . 2023-09-26 . jamaica-gleaner.com . en.
  8. Web site: Hussey-Whyte . Donna . The PM's wife . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160125004840/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/The-PM-s-wife . 25 January 2016 . 10 September 2020 . Jamaica Observer.