A trust fund will be established by the government to aid poor young people, primarily those who are wards of the state and children on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education, PATH.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the Jamaica 60 Hope for Children Trust Fund, is a groundbreaking initiative that will break the generational cycle of poverty.
In his Budget Debate presentation Thursday, Mr. Holness noted the struggle many parents, including his own, go through, to provide for their children, so it’s his responsibility to implement programmes to fix that social problem.
He also noted the economic inequity that abounds in the society, with many who are well off being entitled, while the poor face challenges that hinder their access to many opportunities, including, getting an education.
The fund is being touted as a means by which many poor children on reaching age 18, will be able to elevate themselves out of poverty.
Mr. Holness said a lump sum of 6 hundred thousand dollars will be paid out to each eligible person.
He said the inequity cannot be allowed to continue.