Prime Minister Bruce Golding last night announced a $500 million assistance package for the poor and dispossessed and those deemed to be otherwise vulnerable.

Mr. Golding, who was making his contribution to the debate on the First Supplementary Estimates in the House of Representatives last night, said the methodology for disbursing the funds had not yet been worked out.

However, he indicated that the funds could be channelled through the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), or some other institutionalised framework.

The initiative is a clear response to the spiralling food and petrol prices, blamed mostly on the rising prices for corn, wheat and fuel on the world market. The result has been sharp increases in Jamaica in basic food prices, gasolene and electricity rates, among others. The Opposition had called on the Bruce Golding-led administration to take steps to cushion the effects of the increases on those most vulnerable.

But last night, Mr. Golding told the House that the Opposition's recommendation to provide a subsidy may not reap the desired benefit. He suggested that the distributive trade may instead benefit at the expense of the poor.