Holness renews call for privatisation of children's homes

Opposition leader Andrew Holness has reiterated a call for the government to consider privatising the nation’s state-run children’s homes.

Speaking at a Kiwanis International divisional council meeting this morning at the Mico Practising Centre in St Andrew, Mr Holness said while it was the State’s responsibility to provide certain services, the government may not be best positioned to provide these services.

He says the government could contract the facilities to established volunteer groups and churches and provide them with budgetary funding. The opposition leader said this was something that his party was looking at "very closely".

He says he is willing to develop a policy and regulatory frame work to encourage and support partnerships with faith-based organisations and service clubs such Kiwanis.

In 2011, former prime minister Bruce Golding, said that his administration was exploring privatising the country's prisons and children's home. Golding had said that it was costing the country about $1 million to house each prisoner and another $1 million to care for each ward of the state.

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