Government has offered a three-month amnesty for customers of the state-owned National Water Commission (NWC), in particular those who are pensioners or assessed as being in need based on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH).

The amnesty that will begin on January 2, 2025 will last for three months.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness made the announcement on Sunday as he addressed the public session of the 81st annual conference of the Jamaica Labour Party at the National Arena.

He explained that persons who have been disconnected for debts that have been outstanding for two years or more, who are pensioners or assessed as being in need based on the PATH standard, will see their debt written off by the water utility.

“In addition to that we will waive the reconnection fee, this is aimed at giving relief to those persons who’re suffering from weighty bills, particularly those who’ve had major leaks in their house and they just can’t pay…” Holness said.

The prime minister said that by writing off these outstanding amounts, “it will also help with the transfer of property because there’re many persons who want to transfer property but bills are owed on the property; they would have to clear it first before they can transfer it. In a way, this is also increasing economic activity”.

Holness told the conference that this was his government’s commitment to clearing away unnecessary bureaucracy and legacy issues.

“This is an example of what the government can do to make the cost of living easier for you without expending once cent more, just changing the bureaucracy,” he remarked.

Customers who have been disconnected for longer than six months will be asked to make contact with the NWC to make arrangements for payment.

“The NWC will discount your debt by 50 per cent and if there are special cases as assessed, the discount may be even higher. This is how the government shows, in a tangible way, that it cares. This is how the government is dealing with the cost of living that you face,” said the prime minister.

For pensioners taking part in the amnesty, and who are being reconnected, where leaks are detected the NWC will provide its leak detection service to ensure the pensioner does not end up in the same situation as before.

Additionally, the NWC will partner with the HEART-Trust/NSTA to train leak detection specialists to participate in the programme.