Sun | Dec 7, 2025

Ex-JTA president wants teachers excluded from NHT subsidy cut

Published:Wednesday | August 24, 2022 | 12:06 AMAlbert Ferguson/ Gleaner Writer
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Outgoing president of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association, Winston Smith, addresses the audience during his keynote address at the Jamaica Teachers’ Association 58th Annual Conference held at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa in Montego Bay on Monday, Au
Ashley Anguin
Outgoing president of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association, Winston Smith, addresses the audience during his keynote address at the Jamaica Teachers’ Association 58th Annual Conference held at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa in Montego Bay on Monday, August 21.
One of the 112 units built by the NHT in Perth Estate in Manchester.
Ainsworth Morris
One of the 112 units built by the NHT in Perth Estate in Manchester.
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WESTERN BUREAU:

Winston Smith, the immediate past president of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), is urging Prime Minister Andrew Holness to rethink his Government’s decision to discontinue the National Housing Trust (NHT) subsidy for public sector workers.

Five months ago, Holness announced that the NHT subsidies provided to groups such as public sector workers, persons with disabilities and individuals over 55 years old would be discontinued.

When the policy change was first announced, Holness stated that income was not considered as an additional criterion for whether a subsidy can be applied to members within a special group of applicants to a particular development.

The prime minister further stated that the Government would change that arrangement, so that income will be the sole determinant on whether a subsidy is applied. Under the new policy, all new loans will be subject to a periodic review to determine whether the level of subsidy given at the opening of the loan is still required, or whether a greater or lesser subsidy is needed.

However, Smith sees the policy change announced by Holness as not ideal and he strongly believes that its the implementation will further push teachers to migrate in search of better economic opportunities.

“If the pronouncement to say that the subsidy to government workers, re the National Housing Trust, is going to be roll back, I would appeal to the prime minister to reconsider that decision because it will impact the teachers’ ability to pay mortgage,” Smith told The Gleaner following Monday’s first day of the JTA’s annual conference in Montego Bay, St James.

“Because of that decision, I am not going to be able to pay my mortgage, then that may become a push factor to send the teacher overseas because at the end of the day, we all have to survive,” the former JTA head reasoned.

Smith, while acknowledging that Holness’ policy change may be justified from a fiscal point of view, recommended that teachers should be excluded if implemented.

“I am appealing to the prime minister to let it not be that teachers are included in that decision-making,” he said.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com