KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mike Henry, says the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) remains an essential facility for governance at the community level 10 years after its establishment.

“The CDF has largely delivered on its mandate across the constituency level, with all 63 constituencies benefiting from the fund,” the minister said.

Henry was speaking during his 2018/19 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives yesterday.

The CDF was established in 2008 to provide Members of Parliament with financial resources to execute approved social and economic programmes within their constituencies. This is facilitated through an initial allocation of $40 million per constituency.

However, fiscal challenges forced a reduction to the current provision of $20 million per constituency.

Henry noted that the earmarked provision for the 2017/18 fiscal year was fully utilised by Parliamentarians in all 63 constituencies, with projects being implemented within the specified timelines and budgets.

“But with political bantering being consistently directed at the Fund over the years, I believe it is time for a bipartisan approach to be taken towards rebranding of the Fund in the interest of taking it out of the realm of political mudslinging, as it is just too near and dear to the heart of constituency representation and important to our development,” he stated.

Henry said the Government is looking to revamp the CDF’s overall image, and not just focus on “what it is doing and where”.