Prime Minister Andrew Holness Defends J$1.4B Hurricane Funds Amid Criticism

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has defended the Government’s handling of J$1.4 billion in hurricane donations after criticism that most of the money remains unspent.

Speaking in St Elizabeth, Holness said critics were spreading “common nonsense” and ignoring the wider recovery effort.

An audit found that only J$26.2 million of the donated funds had been spent up to April, while concerns were also raised about programme oversight.

Holness said the Government plans to spend about J$67 billion on recovery, including support for Jamaica Public Service Company and the ROOFS Programme.