MPs To Get $126 Million For COVID-19 Interventions

The Government will be allocating $126 million from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to Members of Parliament (MP) for Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)-related interventions.
Each MP will receive $2 million.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the announcement during his 2020/21 Budget Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on Thursday (March 19), under the theme ‘Towards a Decade of Growth to Anchor Our Peace, Prosperity and Resilience’.

He said that the sum is in addition to the $20 million that each of the 63 representatives currently receives from the CDF.

Mr. Holness advised that the funds are targeted for disbursement by early April when the 2020/21 fiscal year starts. Further details on the provision, including project qualification, will be outlined in a letter to each MP.

Jamaica has, to date, recorded 15 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the 10 days since the first was reported.

Of the 15 persons, 10 have travelled either from the United Kingdom (UK), Trinidad and Tobago, or the United States of America (USA).

It was also established that the five local cases are directly connected with the first patient, who travelled from the UK.

“Members of Parliament are on the front line of response to natural disasters. Oftentimes, the elected representative is the first to be called and the first to be on spot. I expect this (COVID-19) crisis to be no different,” Mr. Holness said.