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Jamaica: Prime Minister Simpson-Miller touts massive housing plans
Jamaica Prime Minister., Portia Simpson-Miller. PHOTO/File
Jamaica Prime Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller, on Tuesday, announced a raft of measures designed to make more Jamaicans homeowners, ranging from reduced mortgage rates to free houses.
Simpson-Miller announced that the National Housing Trust of Jamaica (NHT), will be granted tax-free status for the next two years, and the agency is expected to use the tax break to help some of its most vulnerable contributors.
She noted that more than 55 percent of NHT contributors earn less than $JMD10,000 (US$114.26) per week and she said the NHT will be introducing a number of initiatives to help this vulnerable group.
She announced that as of this month housing grants of $JMD1.2 million (US$13,700) each will be allocated daily for qualified walk-in applicants on a first come basis.
Simpson-Miller said 10per cent of the total home grant would be reserved for qualified applicants with disabilities.