Middle earners and the NHT
published: Sunday | February 5, 2006

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I MUST say that the new National Housing Trust (NHT) double benefit of $3 million is a well-needed surprise. I commend the minister for doing so, but I, as many of my peers (we the so-called middle and low-income workers), were of the impression that the NHT is a safeguard for the poorer or lower level workers. Obviously the minister has rethought this perception and turned it into added benefits for the higher level workers.

I now expect a drastic increase as well in our pay; I am sure that will be the minister's next move. Wouldn't you say tripling the minimum wage is fair, so that some of us can actually have a chance to get the loan to purchase these already high-price houses? And don't get me started on the fact that a simple one bedroom is selling for well over $2 million. The word 'significant' doesn't do justice to the number of people who would not qualify for this loan in Jamaica.

I know that the price of houses I already can't afford will go sky high, because I certainly don't work anywhere near $70,000 per month (approximated figure, given by the NHT). A lot of us don't even earn half of that.

I am, etc.,

A BEWILDERED CITIZEN

Kingston 11

Via Go-Jamaica