KINGSTON, Jamaica – Over 15,000 persons have been employed in JEEP Phase 1.

The JEEP secretariat has reported an overwhelming and satisfactory response to the programme noting that its first phase exceeded its projection of 5,000 persons employed.

Persons were employed within participating ministries and agencies and work has been completed in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture, education and intensive labour. Approximately 2,700 persons were employed in agriculture, 12,230 in works, 260 in labour and social security and 101 in the education sector.

Phase 2 of JEEP is scheduled to begin this month and is expected to employ over 35,000 persons. This phase will see the construction of housing solutions for low income earners under the Housing Agreement signed in August by Dr Omar Davies, Minister of Transport, Works and Housing and Food for the Poor with financing from the Petro Caribe Development Fund.