PNP says JLP claim of 20,000 houses is false
KINGSTON, JAMAICA— The People’s National Party (PNP) today refuted the claim made by the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) that the administration facilitated the building 20,000 new houses in its 55-months term.
In a statement today, the PNP said the JLP’s claim is false, based on data collected by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ).
“There is no record or evidence of the JLP constructing the number of houses they have claimed in their ‘so-called’ achievements document and on the debate stage,” the PNP’s statement said.
According to the PNP, an examination of the data from the PIOJ’s Survey of Living Conditions, shows that in 2019, only 8,120 housing starts were initiated by the National Housing Trust (NHT) and another 1,953 units completed, representing only 24 per cent.
“The PIOJ data also shows that between 2016-2018, the NHT started 9,966 houses of which only 52 per cent or 5,194 units were completed,” the statement added.
“The JLP’s claim of 20,000 housing construction in its four and a half years is false, lacks credibility and should be rejected for what it is, an electioneering sideshow designed as a PR stunt, like many of the other claims in their manifesto,” the PNP said.
“The JLP continues to plagiarise the record and taking credit for projects initiated or completed under the previous PNP administration,” it added.
