JEEP Lauded in the House

Minister of Transport, Works and Housing, Dr. the Hon. Omar Davies, has lauded the work being done under the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) in the various constituencies across the island.

“One of the interesting things about the JEEP is that even though you are spending far less money than the big ticket items in the Ministry, I believe it has been shown to have more impact than the big projects,” Dr. Davies said.

The Minister was closing the 2013/2014 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on July 2.

During the Sectoral Debate, which commenced in April, Members of Parliament highlighted the impact that the JEEP has had on their constituencies.

“It has been demonstrated that Members of Parliament can have a say in actual expenditure taking place within their constituencies,” Dr. Davies pointed out.

The JEEP was launched by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, on March 22 last year, in Kingston.

It is one of the strategies of the Government to respond to the chronic unemployment status of some Jamaicans, particularly those in the lower socio-economic strata, persons with special needs as well as those with low skills levels.

Meanwhile, Dr. Davies has called for a change in the way Sectoral Debates are conducted in the House of Representatives.

“I think we need to have a shorter Sectoral Debate where we focus on sectoral issues, policy issues on both sides and then we should structure a period for presentations about constituency matters. But to try and mix them, I think this debate has shown that it hasn’t worked,” he argued.

The Sectoral Debate, which followed the Budget Debate, allowed all Members of Parliament to speak on a wide range of policy and constituency issues.

Contact: Latonya Linton