$327.4 Million to Improve Lives in Rural Areas

Approximately $327.4 million has been set aside in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure, to improve the socio-economic conditions of residents in several rural communities.

This will be done under the Community Investment Project, which began in April 2009, and is being implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) with financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

Initial targets envisaged for the programme, include the implementation of 158 sub-projects, which will see the renovation of infrastructure in the education and health sectors, as well as the upgrading of several road networks.

The project has already completed a total of 16 sub-projects, which saw the upgrading of a number of schools and health centres in rural parishes; 16 projects that resulted in the rehabilitation of road networks; and the training of 25 groups in organisational strengthening.

Some 18 sub-projects are scheduled for implementation during the financial year. These include 14 social infrastructure programmes, and four economic development schemes.

The initiative is slated to run until December 2014.