KINGSTON, Jamaica — State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Senator Abka Fitz-Henley, says the Holness-administration is sensitive to the need to create additional opportunities for low to middle income Jamaicans to access affordable housing and is moving with purpose to implement more initiatives to address the pressing issue.

Fitz-Henley gave the assurance on Friday when he spoke to the Observer Online and launched a defence of the Government’s housing agenda.

The state minister shared that only a few weeks ago he participated in a meeting convened by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness with the heads of the National Housing Trust (NHT), the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ) and the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP).

“Though demonstrating acute awareness of the nature of the market driven pricing mechanism economy in which we exist, Prime Minister Holness was clear in his renewed mandate to the various captains of the housing agencies that they should extend all effort to significantly increase the number of housing solutions built and be particular about doing what is possible to address the needs of middle to low income earners in a manner that is feasible, viable, accessible and affordable”, Fitz-Henley stated.

Fitz-Henley said the prime minister shared with the NHT and HAJ that as he campaigned in the lead up to the General Election last year, he had been to every parish in Jamaica and interacted with Jamaicans who shared concerns about accessibility to low income housing.

The state minister said the prime minister also shared with the country’s housing agency managers concern on social media about accessibility to affordable housing.

Minister Fitz-Henley remarked that in that vein, he welcomes as “a step in the right direction” the announcement by the prime minister during the budget debate that the Government is putting in place new measures to increase access to affordable housing.

“Dr Holness told Parliament that while we work to increase housing supply, we are also working to ensure the homes we build are accessible to the Jamaicans who need them most. The Prime Minister also announced that effective July 1, 2026, teachers, nurses, firefighters, and members of our security and defence forces will benefit from a special reduced mortgage interest rate based on their duration of service,” Fitz-Henley reiterated.