Earl Moxam & Dionne Rose, Staff Reporters
AT LEAST one member of the National Housing Trust (NHT) board has spoken out against a proposal to pool funds from NHT, Education Tax and National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions to address various areas of need in the country.
Land and Environment Minister, Dean Peart, told The Gleaner Power 106 News that the proposal was to be submitted to Cabinet before the end of the year for consideration.
But NHT board member Wayne Jones, who is also president of the Jamaica Civil Service Association, said he was strongly opposed to a proposal to consolidate the funds, from which a range of projects would be financed.
"The mandates of any particular fund have always got to be what guide the thinking of the policy makers who are managing those funds," he said.
RESPONSE TO CONCERNS
The Land and Environment Minister had revealed the proposal, in response to concerns raised on Tuesday by director-general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Dr. Barbara Carby. Dr. Carby said she was concerned about the lack of financing for the National Disaster Fund.
Minister Peart said resources from the NHT, Education Tax and NIS contributions could be used to finance the National Disaster Fund.
"If the priority is a disaster fund, we would fund that, but when the Cabinet submissions come, the Cabinet would decide what the priorities are," he said.
But Mr. Jones said he did not believe "that we should make it the norm that because money is available in one area and not available in another area of need, that we should turn to the area that has it."
He said that, by doing so, the country would not be operating with probity.
Mr. Jones argued that disasters such as hurricanes occur at a particular time in the year, and that the country should plan for them.
"We need to put real, firm, well thought-out plans in place to ensure that we don't have to be scampering around to find funds to fulfil our reconstruction mandate," he said.
Meantime Pearnel Charles, Opposition spokesman on transport and works, has expressed support for Dr. Carby's call for the Government to contribute to the National Disaster Fund incrementally from the national budget.
Mr. Charles has drawn attention to a resolution, moved in Parliament by the Opposition, calling on the Government to provide adequate funding for the various agencies involved in disaster preparedness and management.
