Mr. Phillip Paulwell, C.D., M.P.
Attorney-at-Law | Member of Parliament, Kingston East and Port Royal
Former Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining
Professional Profile
Mr. Phillip Paulwell C.D. M.P. Attorney-at-Law, is the former Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining and is the Member of Parliament for the Constituency of Kingston East and Port Royal.
Mr. Paulwell served as a Government Minister in the People’s National Party administration between January 1998 and September 2007 as Minister of Commerce, Science and Technology. During the past administration, 2011 – 2016, he served as Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining and Leader of Government Business in the House. He was the Leader of Opposition Business in the House for the period March 2016–September 2019 and is a former Chairman for the People’s National Party and the People’s National Party Region 3. He also served as a Vice President of the People’s National Party.
His appointments to the Executive began in 1995 when he was appointed to the Upper House as a Senator where he served until 1997. He served as Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce during the same period.
He entered the Lower House as a Member of Parliament in 1997 after winning the election in the constituency of Kingston East and Port Royal. His electoral victory in September 2020 marked the beginning of his sixth consecutive term of political representation in this populous section of the Kingston Metropolitan Area.
Among his many achievements as a Government Minister and Member of Parliament, Mr. Paulwell is credited with the liberalization of the telecommunications sector. In 2000 he was the recipient of the Gleaner Honour Award for implementing historic measures to break the 25-year telecommunications monopoly and introduce competition in the sector. He was also recognized by international organizations including the International Telecommunications Union as well as the Caribbean Telecommunications Union. In 2015, he was accorded the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Commander (CD) for over 20 years of distinguished service to Parliament.
During his tenure as Minister with portfolio responsibility for Energy, he has been credited with giving momentum to the diversification of Jamaica’s energy sources and the promotion and facilitation of millions of dollars of investment in wind and solar energy.
Prior to 1995, Mr. Paulwell served in very senior positions in the Government of Jamaica – Legal Officer of the Jamaica Commodity Trading Company Limited, Executive Director/ Trade Administrator of the Trade Board Limited and first Executive Director of the Fair Trading Commission.
Those appointments followed his graduation from the University of the West Indies (LL. B Hons, 1986) and the Norman Manley Law School (Certificate in Legal Education, 1988). While pursuing his graduate studies, he also served as part time Lecturer and Tutor in Company Law at the Excelsior Community College and the College of Arts Science and Technology (now the University of Technology).
Education
Norman Manley Law School – Certificate in Legal Education, 1988
University of the West Indies – LL.B (Hons), 1986
Excelsior Community College, 1979–1981
Excelsior High School, 1974–1979
Professional Qualifications
Attorney-at-Law – Admitted to practice in 1988
Political and Government Career
Member of Parliament, Kingston East & Port Royal (1997 – Present)
- Elected to six consecutive terms since 1997
- Currently serving as MP after re-election in 2020
Ministerial Appointments
- Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (2011–2016)
- Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives (2012–2016)
- Minister of Commerce, Science and Technology (1998–2007)
- Minister of State, Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (1995–1997)
Other Political Leadership
- Leader of Opposition Business in the House (2016–2019)
- Former Chairman and Vice President, People’s National Party
- Former Chairman, PNP Region 3
Senator, Upper House of Parliament (1995–1997)
Previous Executive Roles
Chief Executive Officer, Fair Trading Commission (1993–1995)
Trade Administrator & CEO, Trade Board Limited (1991–1993)
Legal Officer, Jamaica Commodity Trading Company Ltd.
Academic Contributions
Part-time Lecturer and Tutor in Company Law
- Excelsior Community College
- College of Arts, Science and Technology (now University of Technology)
Major Achievements
- - Liberalization of the telecommunications and motor vehicle industries
- - Introduction of competition in telecoms, enabling the rise of Digicel and the BPO sector
- - Creation of numerous national institutions including: Universal Service Fund, E-Learning Company Limited, Spectrum Management Authority, Fair Trading Commission, Anti-Dumping and Subsidies Commission, Consumer Affairs Commission, Jamaica Intellectual Property Office, Postal Corporation of Jamaica, Energy Council
- - Development of Jamaica’s renewable energy sector (e.g., Wigton Wind Farm)
- - Implementation of PetroCaribe and establishment of the PetroCaribe Development Fund
- - Granting of licenses for medicinal marijuana
- - Reopening of the Alpart Alumina Plant
Awards and Honours
- - Order of Distinction (Commander Class) – 2015
- - Gleaner Honour Award – 2000 (for telecommunications liberalization)
- - US Engineer Award – 2014 (Top 50 Blacks in Technology)
- - Achievement Award – 2018 (Business Process Outsourcing Association of Jamaica)