Social Housing Programme gets $200 Million

Some $200 million has been allocated to the Social Housing Programme for the financial year 2007/08, a 33 per cent increase over the sum of $150 million last year.
This was announced by the Minister of Housing, Transport, Water and Works, Robert Pickersgill, during his contribution to the 2007/08 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, yesterday (May 30).
The Minister also informed that under the Social Housing Programme for this financial year, each Member of Parliament would be allocated $2.5 million, up from $2 million, an increase of 22 per cent. An amount of $50 million would be allocated to the Special Assistance Programme, the Minister added.
“This programme is seen as one of the more positive moves by the Government to improve the general condition of the poor, as it transcends political lines and the positive difference it is making in the lives of people it was intended to benefit is irrefutable,” said Mr. Pickersgill.
“With the increase in funding from the National Housing Trust, it is projected that for the 2007/08 period, the number of beneficiaries under the programme will be in excess of 14,000,” he added.
The Social Housing Programme was conceptualised by former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and was implemented in March 2004. The programme is funded by the National Housing Trust and managed by the Ministry of Housing, Transport, Water and Works.