ST JAMES, Jamaica — There will be a tax break for senior citizens if the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is given the mandate for a third term in office, party leader Andrew Holness has promised.

“For seniors aged 65 and over, we will exempt all employment and pension earnings from income tax where total income from all sources is $6 milion or less per year, because we are honouring our seniors who have built Jamaica,” he stated.

Holness was addressing a JLP mass rally and election manifesto launch in Sam Sharpe Square Sunday night.

“Look, we have to give thanks for our senior citizen class. They are the ones that keep balance in the society. They are an anchor. We have to give thanks for them,” he said.

Holness said a future JLP government would introduce a national health plan for seniors aged 60 and over, which will initially cover more than 400,000 people and provide benefits for 10 chronic illnesses.

The JLP leader said this would be expanded in phases towards universal health coverage.

“As we move along and we can secure the income, we will move the age lower, from 60 to 40, and then we go down to 30 until it’s universal for all Jamaicans,” explained Holness.

He stressed that this will be done in a way that “will not bankrupt the country or cause you to have to pay more taxes.”

— Anthony Lewis