From technology consumer to producer
Speaking at Jamaica House in St. Andrew, Wheatley said the country needs to develop, own and export knowledge-based solutions rather than remain primarily a consumer of technology created elsewhere. Wheatley is minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, responsible for science, technology and special projects.
"The next phase of Jamaica's development must be driven by not only what we produce but increasingly by what we know, what we create and what we can commercialise," he said.
According to the Jamaica Information Service, Wheatley said countries that invested in science and technology now lead in development and Jamaica should follow their example. He argued that these fields must be treated as tools for national development, not simply personal interests: they shape food production, environmental protection, disease management, disaster preparedness, business competitiveness at home and abroad, and people's daily lives.
This year's Science and Technology Month has the theme "Science Solves," with the 32nd National Science and Technology Conference and Exhibition as its flagship event. The conference will also include the Global Research Council Americas Regional Meeting on November 18-19, 2026. It will be the meeting's first time in the Caribbean, hosted by Jamaica's Scientific Research Council in partnership with the United States National Science Foundation.
A national framework and financing target
Wheatley said the government is working on policies and institutional arrangements that connect science and technology more closely to national development priorities. That includes incorporating them into public-sector decisions about policy, resource allocation, program evaluation and delivery.
"Our vision is one in which research informs policies, technology strengthens productivity, and innovation becomes a driver of inclusive and sustainable economic growth," he said.
The effort includes Jamaica's first unified STI framework: the "Jamaica National Science, Technology and Innovation Strategic Plan 2026 to 2035" and its governing framework, the "House of Innovation." When Wheatley announced them during the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate on June 2, 2026, he said they would shortly go to Cabinet for review and approval.
The framework has four components: governance, strategic priorities, financial stability and human capacity. Its seven strategic pillars cover food security, climate resilience, biotechnology, creative industries, the circular economy, digital transformation and AI, and innovation ecosystem development.
A blended financing model targets US$350 million over 10 years, with the goal of increasing research and development investment from 0.07% to 1.5% of GDP by 2035.
Wheatley also announced in the June debate that the Scientific Research Council (SRC) Act, enacted in 1960, would receive a comprehensive review. The proposed modernization is intended to provide the legal basis for the council's expanded responsibilities under the strategic plan and the House of Innovation.
For the 2026/27 financial year, the SRC is also scheduled to introduce a Laboratory Information Management System, begin a digital solutions program for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, broaden the scope of its accredited analytical work, and launch a podcast called "Conversation in Science."
AI training and early science education
Workforce training is another part of the government's agenda. Announced in Parliament on June 2, 2026, the Growing AI Innovation and National Skills Programme, or GAINS, is a JMD $545 million initiative intended to provide AI skills certification and employment pathways across all 63 constituencies.
Participants will take a six-week AI Mastery Curriculum at Universal Service Fund community access points and earn HEART/NSTA Trust certification. Qualifying at-risk youth are offered a monthly stipend of JMD $50,000.
GAINS is to start with a pilot in selected constituencies in St. Catherine and St. Andrew. Its target for each national cohort is at least 1,260 certified graduates, or 20 per constituency.
At the early childhood level, Wheatley said the "Nurturing Early Scientific Thinking" (NEST) Programme aims to bring STEM education to 500 institutions in 2026. The program is intended to supply STEM kits and encourage curiosity among children as young as three.
AI policy and government cybersecurity
At a government briefing on June 3, 2026, the National AI Task Force was reported to be working toward a national AI policy by late 2026 and a legislative framework by 2027.
The government had also established the National Cybersecurity Coordination and Assurance Council (NCCAC), a 24-month project intended to unify security protocols across government agencies.
