The powerful Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, PSOJ, is commending the Prime Minister for moving to address the needs of the average Jamaican, during his marathon budget presentation on Thursday in the House of Representatives.
The Prime Minister announced various measures he hopes will provide relief to those people struggling to put food on the table.
His presentation came two days after the latest Nationwide-Bluedot polls, powered by Total Tools, showed that more than 60-percent of Jamaicans viewed the rising cost of living as one of their top concerns.
Shaloy Smikle reports.
During his budget presentation, the Prime Minister announced an increase in the overall minimum wage and minimum wage for industrial security guards.
He also announce additional benefits to contributors to the National Housing Trust and bumped up weekly pension payments.
President of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, Metry Seaga, says the Prime Minister is giving back to those most in need.
President of the Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise, MSME Alliance, Donovan Wignall is describing as a ‘brilliant stroke’, the move to eliminate all tuition and administrative fees for programmes up to the associate degree level, offered by HEART/NSTA Trust.
The boss of Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services, TODSS, Egerton Newman says this was the first time he has ever heard a Prime Minister speak substantively about taxi operators.
However, Mr. Newman took issue with an aspect of the Prime Minister’s presentation.
Mr. Holness announced that the government will facilitate access on preferential terms, for persons who would like to change their motorcar or motorcycle to an electric one, through an existing loan facility at the Development Bank of Jamaica.
Mr. Newman says bureaucracy may thwart those who want to benefit from the measure.
