THE National Housing Development Corporation (NHDC) is to sell several land parcels among its holdings to the National Housing Trust (NHT) to raise capital meant to re-energise the flagging Operation Pride housing thrust, Prime Minister PJ Patterson announced yesterday.

Patterson told delegates attending yesterday’s private session of the People’s National Party (PNP) 67th annual conference that he was concerned that funds were not flowing fast enough to the NHDC to allow for Operation Pride to deliver shelter solutions.

“I have arranged for the NHDC to sell lands to the NHT and, as a result, we are going to be moving on (a number of projects),” Patterson said.

He named among these projects, Whitehouse in his own constituency, Belair, Shaw Park, Barrett Hall, Mamee Bay, Donmair, Mount Edgecombe, Fisherman’s Village, Desside, Whitehall in Negril, and Pitfour – all rural projects.

Patterson said that under the renewed efforts, his administration would be undertaking more projects and bringing those already started to completion.

He added that this was in pursuit of his promise to ensure that more Jamaicans own more land than ever before, by the time he demits office.

Patterson also announced plans to use a portion of the $5 billion recently diverted from the NHT to the education transformation programme to assist students taking examinations in sixth forms and community colleges.

He said a sum will be provided from the $5 billion to pay the full cost of four Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examition subjects for sixth form students in secondary schools asw ell as those in community colleges taking CXC and CAPE subjects, including the compulsory subjects of communications and caribbean studies.