INDUSTRY COVE, Hanover — Jamaica Broilers Group Vice-President of Accounting Lennox Channer is the new chairman of the National Housing Trust (NHT).

The disclosure was made on Thursday during a NHT ground-breaking ceremony for 63 housing units being constructed in this Hanover community.

Channer, who served for two years on the NHT board, replaces Dr Nigel Clarke, who became minister of finance and the Public Service on March 26, 2018, following his victory in the March 5 by-election for the St Andrew North Western constituency.

Channer told the function that he was honoured to serve in the capacity and pledged to continue the work of his predecessor.

“I would like to say thanks to my portfolio minister and prime minister, The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, for this opportunity to serve the NHT and the people of Jamaica in this capacity,” stated Channer.

“I must say to the Prime Minister, Sir, I do intend to continue the great work of my predecessor, Ambassador The Honourable Dr Nigel Clarke. And I am well aware of your vision and charge to the NHT under Dr Clarke’s stewardship to build more house and I also take the charge to build more houses,” added Channer.

Channer said the NHT over the next few years will be increasing its investment in housing that is expected to improve the social, economic and well-being of the citizenry.

He added that for the 2018/2019 financial year, the NHT will be spending over $30 billion in housing. Some 22 new housing schemes are expected to be started during the financial year bringing the total number of housing starts to 5,000, he said.

Last month, ground was broken for 196 service lots at Windsor in Trelawny, and next month the trust will be heading to Jacksonville in Clarendon to break grounds for 84 housing solutions.

The NHT will be constructing some 63 housing units, 23-detached two bedroom and 40 two-bedroom townhouse units in Hanover. The housing scheme is to be called Industry Cove Manor and will be constructed on 4.94 hectares of land located 3.5 km north-east of Green Island.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andrew Holness says it is the intention of the NHT to construct more houses under his watch.

“In putting together the board of management of the NHT, I have given them a mandate to build more houses. No one can challenge that mandate because there has never been a time in the history of Jamaica when we are going to build so many houses,” argued Holness.

“If you compare what we have already built in just two-and-a-half years versus what was done in the last six, seven years, we have already doubled that. And now they have a mandate to build 23,000 housing solutions (houses and serviced lots). That is the mandate that the NHT has now,” Holness added.

Channer, who has also served in senior management positions at National Commercial Bank, Digicel, and Caribbean Bottlers (Jamaica) Limited, has a Master of Science degree in decision and information sciences from the University of Florida, and a Bachelor of Science in actuarial sciences from the University of the West Indies, Mona.