KINGSTON, Jamaica — A petition calling for the cancellation of National Housing Trust (NHT) contributions for all mortgagors with the institution, is among 15 petitions currently active on the website of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

The creator of the NHT petition is contending that once an individual starts paying a mortgage to the housing institution, they should no longer be asked to make contributions as mortgage payments are already calculated with interest.

The NHT act stipulates that all employed citizens between the ages of 18 and 65 years should make contributions of two to three per cent of their annual salary to the institution, whether or not he/ she has already received a loan from the Trust.

The petitioner argued that making contributions to a mortgagee is similar to “double interest”, adding that the NHT is one of the most profitable organisations in the country.

“Persons can still get NHT returns up to the point that they start paying mortgage. Should they need additional benefits from the trust these can be calculated at special rates. But I just don’t see the point of continued contributions when I am already paying mortgage”, the individual said.

“The company will still be profitable as new persons join the work force yearly and the mortgage payments are more than a fair share of profit.”

The NHT outlined on its website that contributors are entitled to receive a regular contributions refund in the eighth year after the contribution was made. This means that if someone contributed to the NHT in 2008, he/she should be able to apply for a refund of all contributions made during that year, in 2016.

However, contributors who hold mortgages with the Trust do not receive their refunds in hand and should not apply as the funds are automatically credited to their mortgage account.

At the time of this publication, the petition, which was launched on August 2, had 16 signatures and needs another 14, 984 by September 1 in order for it to be reviewed.

Based on the instructions on the OPM website, the petition needs to gather 15,000 signatures in 30 days for it to be reviewed and if it complies with agreed standards, the OPM will issue an official response.

Other petitions on the website include: ‘Save Cockpit Country’, which had 1748 signatures up to Wednesday morning, ‘Declare Miss Lou a National Icon and Erect Statue at Emancipation Park’ had 519 signatures, and ‘Review Jamaican National Standards Based Curriculum for the inclusion of Information Literacy and School Library’ had 112 signatures.

To view these and other petitions, visit: opm.gov.jm/participate/jamaica-house-petition/