Zuleika Jess says SPARK road funds sidelined PNP divisions in North Eastern St Elizabeth

Member of Parliament Zuleika Jess used her Sectoral Debate presentation in 2026 to argue that public resources are failing to reach Jamaicans fairly, pointing to delayed grant payments and road allocations in North Eastern St Elizabeth.

Jess said the Government’s defence over unspent social support funds amounted to saying the money was not stolen but was simply not disbursed quickly enough. She argued that, for residents who were expecting a promised $20,000 grant, the explanation offered no comfort because the support still did not arrive. She said 75 per cent of the intended beneficiaries were unable to access the money.

The MP linked that issue to a wider demand for justice, saying residents in her constituency also face unsafe and neglected roads. She identified Winsor Bridge as being close to collapse and warned that Glass Bottom Bridge also requires urgent attention. In her view, poor road conditions and failing crossings are not only infrastructure problems but matters affecting safety and basic fairness.

Jess reserved her strongest criticism for the SPARK road programme in North Eastern St Elizabeth. She said the former member of parliament selected 10 roads for repair and that all 10 were located in one division controlled by the Jamaica Labour Party.

She said no roads were chosen from the PNP-controlled divisions of Braes River, Silo and Balaclava. Jess described the allocations as political victimisation and accused the Government of using public money to punish communities based on how they vote.

Closing that section of her presentation, Jess said Jamaica must move toward a system where people are not harmed by systems that frighten them and where senior posts in major state agencies are awarded on merit rather than family connections.