Basic Needs Project Receives $200 Million

The Government has allocated $200 million to the Basic Needs Trust Fund project, to reduce vulnerability through enhanced access to basic and social infrastructure.

This is contained in the 2016/17 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

The project will see to the expansion and rehabilitation of the Port Antonio Primary School, the Black River Primary School and the Morant Bay Primary School. The Garfield Road in St. Ann and the Bottom Bonnet road in St. Catherine are also to be rehabilitated through the initiative this year. Maintenance training and water, sanitation and hygiene training will also be conducted.

Up to December 2015, achievements under the project included the formulation of school sub-projects and road rehabilitation sub-projects, as well as the approval of Sector Portfolios submitted to the Caribbean Development Bank, which funds the project, in collaboration with the Government of Jamaica.

The project, being implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), is to be concluded in December 2016.