Chang faces tough questions on HOPE programme

Questions arose on Tuesday about whether the Government's Housing Opportunity Prosperity Employment (HOPE) programme, which replaced the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) last year, exists.
  
Dr. Omar Davies, Member of Parliament for St. Andrew Southern, put the questions to Dr. Horace Chang, Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, during the Standing Finance Committee which is reviewing the 2017/2018 Budget.
  
Dr. Davies stated that he saw no indication that the HOPE programme is up and running, despite the budget indicating that it received $770 million last year.

In response, Dr. Chang said the money was disbursed to agencies, such as the National Works Agency (NWA), that would have normally received funds under previous programmes to carry out similar work. 

Unsatisfied with the response, Dr. Davies pressed for the minister to further explain how the $770 million dollars was spent in the 2016/2017 financial year.

"Each MP was given $10 million to one road programme last year in terms of JEEP, which comes up to $630 million, including the fees," Dr. Chang sought to explain. 

Dr. Chang said no indigent houses were constructed last year under the programme.
  
He said the $770 million was residual funding from the previous administration's JEEP programme.
  
The budget for the HOPE programme, which Dr. Chang said will be fully operational this year, has been cut to $607 million.

The HOPE Secretariat will also be fully operational in the new financial year.