National Housing Trust mortgagors will benefit from a three-month moratorium on their loans with the trust, effective September 1.

Meanwhile, pensioners and persons under the Government's Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), as well as the needy, are to receive special allowances and vouchers from the Government to help purchase food items.

In an address to the nation late last night, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller said the Government would spend $580 million to cover the programme.

Her announcement comes in the wake of Hurricane Dean, which left many communities devastated, particularly on the country's south coast.

For the 90,000 persons under PATH, a special one-off allowance of $2,000 will be granted to each household. Payments are to be made by this weekend.

In the case of pensioners and senior citizens, including the disabled, the Prime Minister said a special allowance of $5,000 will be paid to assist them.

She said a voucher system was now being finalised to be distributed to persons who were not on any of the programmes mentioned. The vouchers will allow them to obtain food supplies through the retail trade.

Emergency assistance for agricultural sector

The Prime Minister also announced that $225 million in emergency assistance would be provided to the agricultural sector.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Simpson Miller said the State of Public Emergency would remain in force as only 20 per cent of the country has electricity.

"I could not continue to profess care for this nation and people if I allowed them to be at the mercy of a few misguided criminals operating under the cover of darkness," she said.

The Prime Minister said that her decision to call a State of Public Emergency for the protection of Jamaicans was being used as a "political football".