Connect with us

Caribbean News

JAMAICA: Amendments to Rent Restriction Act to ensure equity for tenants and landlords

Published

on

Montego Bay, April 30, 2019 – Jamaica – Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., says that Government is updating the Rent Restriction Act in order to create a viable rental industry and provide equity for tenants and landlords.

He said that the Act must protect both parties, ensuring that renters can have access to adequate, safe and legal housing solutions, while, at the same time,   encouraging property owners to rent their premises.

“If the Rent Restriction Act does not afford for protection in an equitable way, then you are going to have less persons wanting to be landlords,” he argued.

“We want to be able, as we create this enabling environment, to look at all of the specific and unique challenges and create the solutions, so that we have a framework that is equitable and that is stimulating the kind of growth in a sustainable way that we need in Jamaica,” he added.

Senator Charles Jr. was addressing the Realtors Association of Jamaica (RAJ) symposium at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Friday (April 26).  He said that among the proposed amendments is a change of name to the Rent Act and to bring the matter of security deposits under the ambit of the Act, in order to standardise the number of months for which deposits are to be charged, including guidelines for use and refund to the tenant. 

“We want to expand the powers of the Rent Assessment Board by bringing the recovery of possessions under its portfolio, as well as to limit the number of extensions to length of stay,” he noted further.

The amendments will also outline the minimum standard for rental premises including that the building must be structurally sound, walls and flooring intact and the roofs free of leaks.

“We want to also deal with permissible rent, which is severely outdated. I think it is now based on a date from 1980, so we hope to move that forward to within five years of the market value,” Senator Charles Jr. said. 

“We want to include specific definitions of terms in the Act, treat with notice to quit, where the owner can use his or her intention to sell the property as a valid reason for issuing a notice,” he added, noting that fines and penalties for breaches will also be updated.

He informed that the legislation is with the Chief Parliamentary Council, “so we hope that it will be moved through quickly”.

The Rent Restriction Act was enacted in 1944 and was last amended in 1983.  It was developed at a time when tenants were being seriously disenfranchised and was focused towards their protection.

The RAJ symposium, held under the theme ‘Real Estate Investment 2019: A Road Map’, included presentations on property rights and unregistered lands; investing in the Airbnb product; improving home ownership opportunities; and the Rent Restriction Act. The event concluded with a panel discussion.

Contact: Serena Grant

Release: JIS

Photo Captions:

Header: Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., addresses stakeholders during the Realtors Association of Jamaica (RAJ) symposium held on Friday (April 26) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James.

Insert: Stakeholders in attendance at the Realtors Association of Jamaica (RAJ) Symposium, which was held on Friday (April 26) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James.

Continue Reading

Caribbean News

CARPHA Progresses to Eligibility for the First Disbursement of Pandemic Funding

Published

on

Following a landmark Public Signing Ceremony for the Pandemic Fund (PF) Technical Cooperation Agreement (“Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response” [RG-T4387] Project) on December 14, 2023, in Trinidad, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) continues to progress towards the start of implementation.

 CARPHA fulfilled the IDB’s nine conditions prior to first disbursement, achieving full eligibility on March 15, 2024, and is now eligible for the first disbursement. This milestone achievement in just 3 months after the signing speaks to the commitment of both CARPHA, the Executing Agency, and IDB, the Implementing Entity, toward the regional PF project with the objective of supporting the reduction of the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by building pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) surveillance & early-warning systems (EWS), laboratory systems and workforce capacity, regionally at CARPHA and in countries.

Since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Agreement and as part of the conditions prior to first disbursement, CARPHA has achieved the following key outputs (i) the development of the PF Project Operations Manual, Multi-annual Execution Plan, Procurement Plan, Financial Plan, Procedure for CARPHA’s Financial Reporting System; (ii) vacancy announcements for two tranches of consultants with the subsequent hiring of five (Technical Coordinator, Financial Specialist, Procurement Specialist, Operations Officer and Project Operations Coordinator) and (iii) the establishment of the Project Execution Unit (PEU) and Project Execution Steering Committee (PESC). The dedicated PEU will be responsible for execution according to its planned timelines, which will be led by the Dr. Lisa Indar, the Project Director (CARPHA’s Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division).

 CARPHA, as the lead regional public health agency and an expression of Caribbean Cooperation in Health is mandated by its Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to support its 26 CARPHA Member States (CMS) in bolstering national systems and coordinating regional response to public health threats. The Agency works closely with regional and international agencies and uses regional mechanisms, surveillance systems, and networks for coordinating its public health response work.

In July 2023, the PF Governing Board announced that CARPHA’s regional entity proposal, entitled ‘Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems and Workforce Development’ was successfully selected for the first round of financing. It was one of only 19 proposals selected from over 300 submissions and the only regional project. The three priority areas in the proposal are: (i) Comprehensive disease surveillance and EWS, (ii) Laboratory systems and (iii) Human resources and public health and community workforce capacity.

This project is expected to begin implementation in March 2024, starting off with a blended onboarding session. A Stakeholder Meeting with countries is tentatively planned for July 2024.

CARPHA remains dedicated to working together with the IDB, CARPHA Member States and the Pandemic Fund to successfully implement the regional proposal geared toward reducing the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean.

Continue Reading

Caribbean News

Men who had Murdered Man, Marley Higgs’ cell phone face Court

Published

on

Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

The prosecution intends to try two young North Caicos men, both age 21 for the offense of possession of property of a murdered man, property that was stolen and landed in their possession.

The phone belonged to Peureton ‘Marley’ Higgs, who is believed to have been an innocent gunned down at his apartment complex in the Glass Shack area in a spray of bullets on February 2 that killed another man and wounded two others, including a ten-year-old little girl.

The cell phone was described as white in colour, an iPhone, in a hard black case. 

On Monday, March 18th, JEFFVANO HANDFIELD of North Caicos pleaded not guilty to the offense, and the matter was adjourned to April 2024. He was granted bail in the matter.

A second North Caicos man was charged similarly.  

SARENO CAPELLAN aka, Kino Williams is the second individual brought before the court pertaining to the said cellphone. He appeared in court a week after JEFFVANO HANDFIELD, the date being Monday March 25th 2024.

The case for the Crown is that both men sometime in February of this year possessed the cellphone knowing or suspecting it to be stolen property.

Continue Reading

Caribbean News

Supreme Court Closed for Easter

Published

on

NOTICE is hereby given that the Easter Recess shall commence on Friday 29th April, 2024 and end on Friday 5th April, 2024. During the Easter Recess Judge Selochan will be available to deal only with matters that are urgent or require prompt attention.

Court Business During the Easter Recess

A person who wishes to have a matter heard during the recess must file a certificate of urgency along with an affidavit, which must set out the reasons why the matter is urgent or requires prompt attention. The matter will not be listed during the recess unless the Judge deems it fit for urgent hearing.

Opening Hours During the Easter Holiday

The Supreme Court’s last sitting day for the first term is Thursday 28th March, 2024. The Court will officially resume sittings on Monday 8th April, 2024. The Supreme Court Offices in both Grand Turk and Providenciales will continue to operate while the Court is not sitting during the recess.

The Court Office will be closed on the following public holidays:

  • Friday 29th March, 2024 (Good Friday) CLOSED
  • Monday 1st April, 2024 (Easter Monday) CLOSED

Continue Reading

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

TRENDING