MPs to get at least $1m for resilience-building effort
KINGSTON, Jamaica— Members of Parliament are to receive an allocation of at least $1 million to support a government resilience-building effort in every constituency across Jamaica.
Minister with responsibility for Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, Pearnel Charles Jnr, told the House of Representatives on Tuesday that the funds are to assist households at greatest risk, and who need support from the ministry’s resilience-building effort in every constituency across Jamaica.
“The ministry will provide directions and support for the initiative, and I implore colleagues on both sides of the House, to submit the requested information at the soonest, and no later than February 2022,” Charles said.
He noted that his ministry is well aware of the “awesome responsibility and monumental task” that it has to ensure that every Jamaican has access to safe, legal and affordable housing.
“We continue to approach this in a very systematic and logical manner, to ensure that no one gets left behind, as we play our part in renewing Jamaica,” Charles added.
He said that his ministry continues to pursue the development of the National Housing Policy and Implementation Plan, which is the overarching guideline for the housing sector and is expected to be tabled in Parliament as a White Paper by the end of 2021/2022.
He said that the policy and Implementation plan promotes a wide range of mechanisms to increase access for all income levels.
These Include: Fostering partnerships with the private sector and other providers to increase the supply of additional housing solutions to meet projected demand; rationalising the roles of the public sector agencies directly involved in the provision of housing; identifying mechanisms to make land more accessible to all income groups, for housing development; providing a framework to support the delivery of social housing, particularly, for the vulnerable and disadvantaged; and, establishing mechanisms to reduce the impacts of natural disasters and other emergencies on human settlements.
Balford Henry
