Gov't allots $66 million to complete Poverty Reduction Programme IV

The Government has allotted $66 million to complete activities under the Poverty Reduction Programme IV in the upcoming financial year.

The funds, which have been provided in the 2021/22 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, will be used to facilitate the issuance of close-out certificates for 10 remaining infrastructure subprojects. These relate to four health centres and six police stations.

Up to December 2020 under the project, rehabilitative works were completed on six of the revised 19 subprojects, which include the rehabilitation of two road sections, one health centre and one police station in Bog Walk; and the expansion of the Barrett Town All-Age School and the construction of the Tawes Meadows Community Centre.

Several social initiatives were also facilitated. These include 140 persons being trained in behaviour change programmes, 200 students in five schools being engaged in behaviour modification programmes, 171 tertiary scholarships being awarded, internship opportunities for 62 beneficiaries, and 200 students in 10 schools being engaged in academic support programmes.

The project, which is being implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund with funding from the Government of Jamaica and the European Union (EU), aims to empower residents of volatile communities to achieve their fullest potential and contribute to the attainment of a secure, cohesive and just Jamaican society as outlined in Goals 1 and 2 of the Vision 2030 National Development Plan.

Following several extensions, the project, which began in November 2014, is slated to end in October 2021.

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