MONTEGO BAY, St James — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has slapped down the auditor general’s findings that his pet project, the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP), duplicates functions being carried out by other State entities.

“I don’t know why this finding would be levied against a programme that is delivering real, well-needed benefits to the people of Jamaica. We will review their report, as we always do. We will respond, and if there are shortcomings, we are constantly seeking to improve the way in which we deliver benefits to the people. But, I’m very concerned indeed,” he said.

Holness was speaking during a ceremony in Montego Bay on Friday to hand over yet another house through NSHP, which is run through the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC) that he heads.

“I find it very disturbing that a programme like the New Social Housing Programme, which was carefully crafted, well executed, is being almost attacked in this way. We wish to assure the public that we are doing everything possible, and we do everything possible, to ensure that the benefits are delivered in a timely fashion, but also in an integral and efficient fashion. The New Social Housing Programme has not spent $3.4 billion today. That is incorrect and untrue,” the prime minister said.

“We totally disagree. In fact, we reject the findings of the auditor general as it relates to the operations of the New Social Housing Programme, and I wish to reassure the public that we have administered the programme,” he added.

The auditor general’s report has raised concerns that NSHP and other social programmes has similar objectives and overlapping functions. The report also says there is a lack of coordination among these entities.

It outlined the history of distribution of housing-related benefits, asserting that over the years, similar roles have been or are being played by the ministries of local government, labour, and economic growth.

“In 2019 the Government further introduced the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP), which offers housing units similar to the initial SHP [Social Housing Programme]. Of note, the SHP and the NSHP are concurrently administered by separate units within the MEGJC,” said the report.

However, according to Holness, the various agencies mentioned in the report have their own roles to play in the delivery of social programmes.

He also sought to explain what makes NSHP unique.

“First of all, we build on lands that are provided by the beneficiary — that’s a clear distinction. So, the beneficiary has to bring the land to the table. We not only build for persons who are in need by virtue of their economic status, that they are below the poverty line and unemployed, [but] we also build for persons whose houses were destroyed by fire or any other natural disaster, [for] which [persons] we have done quite a few. We also build to upgrade and improve tenement yards and big yards. No other entity has that mandate except the HAJ [Housing Authority of Jamaica] — and their mandate is also slightly different as they take on much larger programmes [while] we do from one to 20 units,” said Holness.

“The mandate is also quite different in that the New Social Housing Programme does not give building grants. Building grants are done by another unit within the Ministry of Housing, and it is also done by the CDF [Constituency Development Fund]. All of these units collaborate. In fact, the New Social Housing Programme constructs houses on behalf of various other entities,” he added.