Prime Minister Andrew Holness speaking at the launch of the Low Cost Housing Design Competition on Friday.
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Prime Minister Andrew Holness
Prime Minister Andrew Holness has suggested Jamaican politicians might not be ready to move forward with a social partnership which could see the relocation of persons from informal communities.
He was speaking on Friday at the launch of the Low Cost Housing Design Competition, which forms part of the government's plan to build 70,000 affordable homes across Jamaica.
Mr. Holness decried the haphazard way in which many communities have evolved and the environmental and other challenges which they present.
He insisted he was not "casting blame on the people who live in unstructured and unplanned communities" but said he was addressing the issue "frontally...at the risk of being criticised of being unsympathetic."
He argued that there is a "politics of poverty" where "the greatest trick that has been played on the poor of the country is that...the people who represent them would never comfront them with the issues of poverty."
Mr. Holness noted that some of the informal communities pose a hazard to national assets, such as hospitals.
But he questioned the political will to have residents relocated to better areas.
"Could that be done? I don't think it is beyond us to do it. But the real question is, is our politics of poverty ready for it. People will stand up in parliament and say, 'Yes, we agree, there should not be informal, unplanned irregular settlement,' but the next day go somewhere and say 'No, no, no, you shouldn't move,'" he lamented.
The Low Cost Housing Design Competition is open to Jamaican architects, engineers, builders and students.
Entrants have until May 25 to register and entries must be submitted by August 9.
The winning design will be announced in September.
Details on the competition may be found at megjc.dot.gov.jm.
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