Phillips wants process to access FFP housing reviewed
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Chairman of the infrastructure and physical development committee of the nation’s Parliament Mikael Phillips said he wants the process by which the nation’s most vulnerable are selected for Food For the Poor (FFP) houses reviewed.
He said the heart of problem is the current restricted selection process that is being applied to the applicants, who seek to access the benefit, as no set guidelines are being used by the Secretariat that manages the government’s Housing, Opportunity, Prosperity, Employment (HOPE) programme.According to Phillips, local community representatives are being excluded from the process and as a result, the neediest individuals are being denied access to the housing.“Moreover, the requirements for proof of tenure are being changed in a manner that many applicants cannot satisfy,” he said.The selection process, while it should properly include churches and other non-governmental organisations, should also utilise the experience and knowledge of the members of Parliament who have been working with constituents for extended periods and are familiar with the circumstances in communities, Phillips argued.The chairman commended the outstanding contribution of Food for the Poor for their long-standing commitment to vulnerable communities and individuals over many decades.However, he said the recent discussions in Parliament, covering the complaints from some beneficiaries, was meant to signal a constant need for quality controls to be exercised and should not be interpreted as a general disapproval of either the houses or the programme of support for housing being offered by Food for the Poor.