CVM News reports on NHT drawdown, Golding declaration and UTech fee dispute

CVM’s June 5 newscast led with several national issues, including fresh questions from Young Jamaica about Opposition Leader Mark Golding’s 2024 statutory declaration, Senate passage of changes to the National Housing Trust Act, and concerns over proposed fee increases at the University of Technology.

Young Jamaica said Golding should give a fuller account of why his 2024 declaration has not yet been certified by the Integrity Commission. Golding responded that the commission had sent him a draft summary, which he reviewed and returned for publication in the Gazette. He said internal changes at the commission slowed the process.

The role of justices of the peace was also revisited amid renewed debate over whether JPs should receive a stipend. Opposition spokesperson on justice Telica Jess argued that volunteer service has become costly for many JPs, while civic leader Trevor Heaven said JPs must not charge the public unless the ministry approves such payments. Custos of St. Andrew Ian Forbes said JPs who breach the law face sanctions.

In the Senate, the government secured approval for a five-year extension of its annual $11.4 billion drawdown from the NHT, amounting to $57 billion between 2026 and 2031. Opposition senators argued some of the funds should be reserved for housing victims of Hurricane Melissa in western Jamaica. Government business leader Kamina Johnson Smith said the housing challenge involves planning, land titling, contractor capacity and other structural barriers, not funding alone.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness later said the NHT had spent more than US$29 million to buy 2,500 semi-permanent modular housing units. He said 1,200 were already in Jamaica, 300 more were due Friday and another 1,000 should arrive by July.

At UTech, students rejected a proposed 10 per cent tuition hike and a $20,000 increase in the enrolment commitment deposit, which would move from $40,000 to $60,000. Student council president Joel Brown called for the increases to be withdrawn or reduced, and for clearer details on how proposed technology fees would benefit students.