Opposition spokesman on finance, Mark Golding is calling on the government to implement a comprehensive safety net to protect vulnerable Jamaicans from the economic contraction now underway due to the coronavirus crisis.

While noting that he supports the measures announced in the government’s care programme Mr. Golding says the $10.65 b allocation is only .5 % of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and therefore is insufficient.

He says other countries have recognized public resources must be expended to protect their economies and societies from lasting damage and improve the prospects of recovery, and Jamaica must do the same.

Further noting that Jamaica’s informal sector is large, Mr. Golding says the government must implement more adequate measures to cater to the sector.

He adds that a substantially larger fiscal programme must be put in place to fund a comprehensive programme, which must include at least an additional $5 b of support for the informal sector.

Meantime, the opposition is renewing its call for the government to provide a $50,000 per family grant for PATH beneficiaries, in light of the covid-19 crisis.

Opposition spokesman on finance, Mark Golding says this will create a safety net for them.

He also wants an increase in the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) welfare allocation.

Mr. Golding is also calling for additional aid for Students Loan Bureau (SLB) beneficiaries, pensioners and small farmers.