Housing Minister Horace Chang announces cheap housing and redevelopment plans for Harbour View, St. Andrew

You may recall that during the recent Budget Exercise that the PM Andrew Holness advised that persons earning J$12000 per week will get zero percentage mortgage from The National Housing Trust (NHT) which all wage earners who get salaries are forced to pay a percentage of their wages to this pool. Many do not get any benefits for mortgage etc.

Breach of Trust

There is a move to give more liberal benefits as the cash reserves are mounting. The PNP has been using the NHT funds to fund many other things not related to mortgages. It has been a perennial misuse of poor peoples’ money and a serious breach of Trust. The JLP is trying to change this negative image of the National Housing Trust.

The Housing Trust builds housing schemes and lend money for “build On Own Land”.

A refund of contributions can be applied for after about 7 years if no other benefit has beenm granted to a contributor. Many contributors never apply for refunds.

Better days are ahead for NHT contributors. Is this really so?

By: Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is Senior International Correspondent & Photojournalist for Vision Newspaper Canada.

photo from www.jamaicaobserver.com