One-Minute Reads: News from across Jamaica

NHT hurricane relief moratorium ends April 30

The National Housing Trust (NHT) is advising mortgagors that the special six-month Hurricane Relief Moratorium, granted in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, will officially conclude on April 30.

General Manager for Loan Management, Dr Suzanne Wynter, told JIS News that regular mortgage payments are set to resume on May 1. However, she advised that provisions remain in place for individuals whose homes are still severely impacted. Wynter explained that individuals whose properties remain uninhabitable or severely damaged may qualify for an extension of the moratorium. Mortgagors in severely affected schemes such as Brompton in St Elizabeth and Union Acres in St James will automatically have a three-month extension applied to their accounts. Other eligible mortgagors will be required to submit an application form via the NHT's website. The application should be completed as early as possible, preferably before May 1, to prevent accounts from falling into arrears. The final deadline for submission is June 30.

Tufton urges Jamaicans to reject anti-vax sentiment

Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has issued a strong appeal to Jamaicans to reject the growing anti-vaccination (anti-vax) sentiment, which he notes has intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tufton noted that while the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital innovation, it also created a platform for the spread of misinformation.

"The anti-vax movement has gotten a lot stronger... a louder voice... and they have leveraged the very technology that we're using today to store through the platforms of social media and otherwise to launch their campaign against immunisation," he said. "We must reject, at all costs, the argument that is being put forward from whenever it comes that immunisation or vaccines somehow are bad for you. The science doesn't bear that out... the history doesn't bear that out."

Tufton cited the eradication and control of diseases such as polio as a prime example of how vaccines have historically safeguarded the nation against devastating health outcomes. Tufton acknowledged that while all medical procedures carry a baseline of minimal risk, the benefits of immunisation overwhelmingly outweigh any potential drawbacks.

Government eyes aviation to help grow tourism

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has announced plans to expand the air transport infrastructure and strengthen connectivity across Jamaica as part of the broader Tourism 3.0 strategy.

He outlined the approach while addressing stakeholders in Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth, last Friday, during the second day of the South Coast Confidence Tour. On the south coast, Bartlett highlighted Vernamfield as the centrepiece of the Government's aviation ambitions. The plan extends beyond upgrading the airstrip, envisioning a full aviation ecosystem built around Vernamfield, with the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) spearheading its development. NaRRA is the State agency established to manage post-disaster reconstruction and resilience building. Bartlett has positioned Vernamfield at the heart of Jamaica's tourism infrastructure drive.

"There is also the Lionel Densham Aerodrome in St Elizabeth, because I know that it is a matter of local interest," Bartlett outlined. He said the goal is to establish a system where visitors can travel from major entry points to tourism hotspots, "within an hour to an hour and a half".

New housing development for St Mary

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness broke ground last Friday for the $1.99 billion Galina Housing Development in St Mary, which will deliver some 360 housing solutions.

Spread across 72 acres of land near Port Maria and Oracabessa, the project, which is a partnership between the National Housing Trust (NHT) and Henan Fifth Construction Group Jamaica Limited, will comprise one and two-bedroom detached units as well as serviced lots. Priced at $3.8 million for the serviced lots and between $8 million and $14 million for the units, Holness said that the solutions being provided will offer both quality and affordability. They will include modern fixtures, durable construction, and essential infrastructure for dignified living and functional communities

Holness said that the development is part of a larger, coordinated national strategy to address the housing deficit in Jamaica. He said that the Government has identified the need for over 150,000 new housing units over the next five to 10 years, with over 11,000 units under construction by the NHT.