Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government will be scaling up the number of indigent houses made available through the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) and is appealing to the Private Sector to partner with the Government in building more houses for vulnerable Jamaicans.

The Prime Minister said:

“I am going to be appealing to the private sector to come on board and assist. As you can see, we will be able to deploy solutions that are inexpensive for the budget of some private sector companies but would be the greatest thing ever to happen to some families. So, there is an opportunity for the private sector who would want to fulfil their corporate social responsibility, and who may know of a family or two living in a deplorable condition, and would want to help them, to do so through the New Social Housing Programme.”

(See Audio-Appeal to Private Sector- 01:24)

The Prime Minister said there is an estimated 10,000 Jamaicans who are living in conditions that are considered well below standard. He said the Government has already sorted out the administrative, technical, and construction issues, and are now ready to expand to reach even more of the estimated 10,000 families whose homes are uninhabitable.

(See Audio-Scale up Building of Homes- 000:50)

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Holness stated that every Jamaican is entitled to good shelter. He said, when our citizens do not have something as basic as proper housing, it is a blot on our society.

(See Audio-Providing Proper Housing Solutions- 00:53)

The Prime Minister  who was speaking this afternoon (February 2, 2022) at the handing over of two housing units in the constituency of North East St. Andrew, reminded the beneficiaries, Ms. Shirley Leon, and Mr. Lloyd Edwards, that they are obligated to be model citizens by being a voice for good in their community.

The Government has so far constructed 116 rooms in 46 units under this programme, with 26 more units under construction.