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Juliet Holness

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Juliet Holness
Holness in 2016
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Assumed office
26 September 2023
Preceded byMarisa Dalrymple-Philibert
Member of Parliament
Assumed office
3 March 2016
Preceded byDamion Crawford
ConstituencySt. Andrew East Rural
Personal details
Born
Juliet Landell

July 16, 1971
St. Catherine Parish, Jamaica
Political partyJamaica Labour Party
Spouse
(m. 1997)
Children2

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

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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

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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.[4]

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.[3][5]

Political career

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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

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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.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Jamaica's Prime Minister and wife celebrate 24th wedding anniversary". Jamaica Observer. 2021-07-20. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  2. ^ "Members of Parliament". www.japarliament.gov.jm. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  3. ^ a b "HE Mrs. Juliet Holness Jamaica". SCLAN. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  4. ^ a b Knight, Candiece (2021-03-08). "IWD 2021: Juliet Holness – Challenge accepted - All Woman". www.jamaicaobserver.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  5. ^ a b "Juliet Holness:Jamaica is safe in Andrew's hands". jamaica-gleaner.com. 2011-11-20. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  6. ^ "PM's wife to launch ambitious project". jamaica-gleaner.com. 2011-11-13. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  7. ^ "Juliet Holness elected House Speaker". jamaica-gleaner.com. 2023-09-26. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  8. ^ Hussey-Whyte, Donna. "The PM's wife". Jamaica Observer. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2020.