House passes NHT transfer bill after sectoral debate on labour, housing and health

Jamaica’s House of Representatives resumed on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, for the Sectoral Debate, hearing presentations from the Minister of Labour and Social Security, the member for Clarendon Northern and the member for St. Catherine Southeastern before turning to legislation on the National Housing Trust.

The Labour and Social Security minister said PATH applicants who receive provisional approval through the Beneficiary Management Information System will move immediately into temporary payable status, while verification and orientation continue. He also announced reforms to recertification, faster processing of household changes, a disability inclusion pathway for PATH, and new collaborations targeting pregnant and lactating mothers affected by Hurricane Melissa.

The minister said PATH delivered more than $9.1 billion in cash grants to over 240,000 Jamaicans in the last financial year. He also outlined worker-focused measures, including an agreement with the Jamaica Household Workers Union, plans for a dedicated domestic-worker training institution, scholarships in social protection and disability-related fields, and new initiatives covering remote work, digital labour, BPO employment standards, unemployment insurance and farm-work support.

Opposition speakers used their Sectoral Debate contributions to challenge government policy on sport, labour protection and health. The member for Clarendon Northern called for stronger workplace safety laws, better support for security guards, rural upskilling and a standalone sports ministry. The member for St. Catherine Southeastern criticised public health outcomes, arguing that announcements and projects had not translated into reliable care for patients.

The House later debated and passed the National Housing Trust Amendment Act, allowing continued annual transfers of up to $11.4 billion from the NHT to central government for five financial years ending March 31, 2031. The government said the measure was needed for fiscal support after Hurricane Melissa, while the opposition objected to the five-year extension and unsuccessfully sought to reduce it to two years. The bill passed its third reading by 29 votes to 24, with 10 members absent.

Members also heard a Labour Day statement naming national projects at Lewistown Early Childhood Institution in St. Elizabeth and Sabina Park in Kingston, and paid tribute to former parliamentarian and minister Leslie Campbell, whose funeral will be accorded official protocols.