Under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP), more than 300 house owners will move from poverty to prosperity thanks to the strategic intervention by the Prime Minister, Most Hon. Andrew Holness.

“We have over 300 houses that are in varying stages of either completion or construction. So, this is a very successful programme, and because it is targeted, you can see the results. Today is the visualisation, and the actualisation of moving someone from poverty to prosperity”, Prime Minister Holness said.

He engaged in handover ceremonies of five units under the NSHP in Giblatore, Dignum, St. Catherine; New Road, Dressikie, St. Mary; Bonnett District, Benbow, St. Catherine; Berry Hill District, Riversdale, St. Catherine; and Stanberry Grove, Sligoville, St. Catherine yesterday.

“The only reason we are able to do this programme and deliver the 256 units under this programme is that we have been able to make a budgetary allocation. That budgetary allocation comes from taxpayers’ resources, but we can make that budgetary allocation from taxpayers’ resources because the economy has been growing consistently”, he continued.

The Prime Minister said while he understands that many citizens are frustrated by the lengthy process of receiving their share of “prosperity”, the government must adhere to the process while being transparent.

“There are many persons who are looking for their prosperity and get frustrated because they’re not seeing their way through, and it is taking too long. I would say to those persons, keep the faith. The government is working assiduously by putting the programmes in place, but we must comply with the rules and regulations. And we have developed, I think, significant competencies in being able to fulfill the compliance and the regulation requirements”, Prime Minister Holness said.

On the other hand, he said that the Government is “building the actual houses much faster” and that it is the technical process that takes more time.

“We’re building houses now in four or five weeks. But the longer part of the actual project is from the identification of the beneficiary, the verification of the beneficiary, the social surveys, securing the land, the engineering surveys, and then going to procurement, and all of those sometimes can take a year to 18 months, even two years. So, we ask persons who have been approved and who are still waiting to keep their faith, to be patient. The houses will be delivered”, the Prime Minister ended.

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