Golding Details Plans to Regularise Electricity for Low-Income Households

Opposition Leader Mark Golding says the electricity access plan announced by finance minister, Fayval Williams, does not go far enough.

During her maiden budget presentation, Minister Williams said the government plans to spend $1 billion to assist 20,000 first-time subscribers of prepaid electricity service from the Jamaica Public Service Company, JPS.

The minister says the plan will see a portion of the sum paying for house wiring and inspection, while another portion will go towards credit for electricity bills over a six month period. The credit of $4,000 will be covered by both the government and the the JPS.

Golding says the People’s National Party, PNP, intends to go bigger with its proposal.

Golding says under the next PNP administration, his programme will cover the cost for low-income households to have their houses rewired, inspected and certified.

Homeowners will also receive solar panels.

Mark Golding, opposition leader.

The opposition leader did not say how many Jamaicans would benefit under this plan. Neither did he provide a cost estimate.