MPs seek to beat Christmas rush with CDF projects

With just about 10 weeks to go before Christmas, a flurry of activities has come before Parliament's Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Committee as members of parliament (MPs) sent 49 projects for approval before the holidays.

At Tuesday's sitting, which had four MPs present, along with the committee's chair, Everald Warmington, two projects sent in by St Andrew South West MP Dr Angela Brown Burke were recalled by the chairman for "clarification", bringing the total number approved to 47.

Physical infrastructure, education, sports, beautification, social housing, and economic enablement were among the categories for which MPs sought in excess of $80 million in funds to fulfil constituency needs.

Projects were submitted by 21 of the 63 MPs, with several submitting multiple projects, the majority submitting two.

Dr Nigel Clarke, MP for St Andrew North West, submitted the most projects, a total of six, amounting to $5 million; Evon Redman, two projects valuing $4.8 million; Marissa Dalrymple-Phillibert, four, valuing $9 million; Dr Dayton Campbell, three, valuing $7.4 million; Fitz Jackson two, valuing $4.7 million, and Peter Bunting, three projects, valuing $6 million.

Other MPs submitting two projects include Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Phillip Paulwell, Lisa Hanna, Dr Wykeham McNeill, Warmington, Dr Lynvale Bloomfield, Dwayne Vaz and JC Hutchinson.

Karl Samuda, Bloomfield and Redman sought approval from the committee for monies previously allocated to approved projects to be re-allocated to other areas. The committee approved the requests.