Poverty Reduction Programme gets $93 Million

The Government has set aside a sum of $93 million for this year’s continuation of projects under the Poverty Reduction Programme (PRP) III.

Details of the project are outlined in the 2016/17 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

The project, which is being implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), with financing from the European Union (EU) and the Government, began in May 2012 and is slated to run until May 2018.

It aims to empower residents in volatile communities to achieve their fullest potential and contribute to the attainment of a secure, cohesive and just Jamaican society.

Up to December 2015, eight infrastructural sub-projects were completed and another eight received practical completion under PRP III; 13 sub-projects are in supervision; and five contracts were prepared to be signed for infrastructural sub-projects.

Training for 102 participants in 20 maintenance and disaster preparedness workshops were completed; 147 persons were awarded and enrolled in an internship programme; six vocational scholarships were awarded, along with 22 tertiary scholarships; and six youth workshop grants and 13 summer camp grants were awarded.

For the 2016/17 financial year, 25 infrastructure projects are expected to see final completion; 90 percent of participants will have attained certification; enrichment activities in behaviour modification for targeted at-risk youth will be conducted; and   reports of cases of violence at schools by at-risk youth are expected to be reduced.