Fitz-Henley defends gov’t's NHT withdrawals, cites billions spent on housing recovery

State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Senator Abka Fitz-Henley, says the Government has gone the extra mile and deployed billions of dollars from the National Housing Trust (NHT) to address housing needs across Jamaica, which have become more extensive since Category 5 Hurricane Melissa devastated sections of the island.

Fitz-Henley outlined the Government’s expenditure on housing recovery efforts while contributing to Friday’s Senate debate on legislation seeking to continue withdrawals from the NHT for budgetary support.

The withdrawal arrangement began in 2013 under the Portia Simpson Miller-led administration as the Government sought to stabilise the Jamaican economy.

According to Fitz-Henley, since Hurricane Melissa, the NHT has disbursed $1.9 billion in home grants to 5,078 households, with beneficiaries receiving approximately $500,000 each.

“Additionally, the NHT gave mortgage moratoriums for six months, pausing payments for 36,000 mortgages in affected areas, while peril insurance premiums were also waived. Two hundred and thirteen special roof loans have also been disbursed at a value of $6.6 million. The NHT has processed 3,835 insurance claims with a total value of $7 billion, and $2.8 billion of the sum has been paid out so far as part of a phased process,” Fitz-Henley said.

The state minister also disclosed that the NHT has acquired 2,500 semi-permanent modular housing solutions at a total cost of $4.6 billion.

Fitz-Henley further pointed to the Government’s $10 billion ROOFS programme and criticised Opposition senators for suggesting that the Holness administration has been slow in deploying NHT resources to address housing needs across the island.

“On the matter of housing, our posture on this matter is characterised by humility. We are always seeking to invest more heavily in housing and deliver greater margins for the people of Jamaica. But the Opposition’s suggestion that the current administration has been under-investing and falling short in the area of housing compared to what obtained when we came into office is categorically false,” Fitz-Henley commented.

He cited a series of housing statistics which he said demonstrate the administration’s performance since taking office.

According to Fitz-Henley, between 2016 and 2025, the Government initiated 31,540 housing units under the auspices of the NHT.

“This averages an increase of 1,194 more housing starts each year compared to the PNP administration, which preceded 2016. That’s a 57 per cent increase in annual housing starts under the Government of Prime Minister Andrew Holness. Since 2016, this administration has delivered 21,166 housing completions and issued 67,249 mortgages. These numbers far exceed — in fact, they exceed by double digits — housing completions delivered by the PNP during their last two terms in office,” Fitz-Henley stated.

The Senate later approved the legislation following debate, clearing the way for the Government to continue withdrawing $11.4 billion annually under the National Housing Trust (Amendment) (Special Provisions) Act, 2026, over the next five fiscal years for budgetary support.

- Andre Williams

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