KINGSTON, Jamaica—Members of the island’s security forces will stand to benefit from the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Rent-To-Own programme, if it returns to office after the General Election on September 3.

The commitment was among a slate of proposed initiatives geared towards members of security forces outlined by Opposition Spokesman on Education and PNP candidate for St Catherine North Western, Damion Crawford during the unveiling of the Opposition party’s ‘Manifesto Lite’ on Monday.

“This is our way of thanking those security forces – JCF [Jamaica Constabulary Force] and Jamaica Defence Force [JDF]- for their contribution and for their success in recent times in assisting in the benefits in the reduction in criminal activity,” he said.

“… Under the People’s National Party government, the members of the JCF and the JDF will receive priority in some of our rent-to-own housing schemes that would be developed.

“Additionally, police officers and JDF officers wishing to be qualified in a particular area for promotion will receive grants and scholarships to pursue the necessary qualifications,” Crawford pledged.

The PNP is also promising security force personnel “reviewed health insurance coverage”, to include “the psychological demands of the job”.

Further, the PNP will undertake to review “the life insurance paid to security force personnel killed in the line of duty to up to $20 million and ensure that insurance and pension benefits are paid over no later than six months after a tragic event,” Crawford informed.

“We will prioritise the consideration of police applications for firearm approval through the firearm approval process, especially for active police officers,” he promised.

The politician reminded members of the JCF and JDF that a prospective PNP administration will remove the tax on overtime pay, even as they remove the tax of up to $3.5 million under the new income tax threshold.

“So, therefore, for most police officers, they will not have to pay any taxes, and for those who go up to $6 million due to overtime, they, too, will find relief,” Crawford said.