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We will reform the NHT, the Jamaica
Housing Agency and the Mortgage Bank.
We will expand affordable housing
construction and reduce interest rates on
mortgages. We will create a 50-to-60 year
mortgage to make payments easier.
We will advance Jamaica as a digital society.
An important step on this path is to digitize government
records and put more business processes online. This will
improve the efficiency and accessibility of government,
removing a major impediment to the growth of businesses.
And this is just one area in which we will employ the young
people we have trained under the national apprenticeship
and service programmes.
We will revitalize and rebuild our town centres and cities.
There is so much value lying idle in our real estate in blighted
urban areas. However, government has to lead the way with a
clear vision, policy and commitment to partnering with the private
sector to make our towns and cities attractive and comfortable
for residents and businesses again. We will start with the
redevelopment of the Kingston waterfront and market district
and the hugely exciting Vernamfield Corridor. This will be partially
funded by the listing of the UDC on the stock market.
These are just 10 of the many innovative and exciting things we will do
to place Jamaica on the path to economic growth and job creation, the
path to prosperity.
We will create a special council of investment ambassadors.
These representatives will be empowered to specially seek out
large investors from all over the world and bring them to Jamaica.
Jamaica must improve its international profile as an investment
destination and not merely as anemerging market to which money
can be lent.
We will invest in improving skills to attract higher-value investments and more meaningful jobs.
Economic growth must mean jobs for our people—real jobs, with a future. While we will seek
investments that match the available skill sets, we are committed to improving the skills of
Jamaicans to attract higher-value investments to sustain long-term economic growth. We are
particularly excited about our compulsory education and skills policy. All our young people who
are not in a job or currently in school will have the opportunity to develop their knowledge, skills,
and attitude through a National Apprenticeship Programme and a National Service Programme,
where they earn a stipend whilst gaining a skill, certification and work experience.
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PLAN