Caribbean News
JAMAICA: More affordable housing solutions for St. James says PM
Montego Bay, November 26, 2018 – Jamaica – Prime Minister, the Most Hon Andrew Holness, says the Government is committed to providing more affordable housing solutions for residents of St. James as part of a strategy to tackle squatting in the parish.
“The National Housing Trust (NHT) has been building solutions. The Estuary, phases one and two, is a major development and there are others as well – the Meadows of Irwin, Cashew Grove, Latium, and Anchovy – and we are going to do more. We are going to target more lands in St. James to build more housing solutions for the workers of this parish,” he said.
Mr. Holness reiterated that the Government continues to develop strategies to combat squatting in St. James and intends to ramp up its efforts to regularise informal settlements.
“Montego Bay grew without providing the housing solutions. So there is a significant problem of informal settlements. We acknowledge, and I know that your Member of Parliament has been working with many of the communities to get them regularised and we are going to intensify that,” the Prime Minister said.
He noted that improving the ability of Jamaicans to own their own homes remains a priority of the Government.
“We want you to be able to access proper housing in planned communities. That’s the only way we are going to address the issue of squatting. That’s the only way that we are going to give every single Jamaican a stake in their country, a stake in their community and a stake in their city when they can say ‘I own this property’,” Prime Minister Holness added.
The Government, through the NHT, has committed to providing 22,000 housing solutions by 2021, through partnerships with housing developers and communities.
Release: JIS
Contact: Nickieta Sterling
Photo Caption: Prime Minister, the Most Hon Andrew Holness, addresses a town hall meeting held at the Closed Harbour Beach in Montego Bay on Thursday (November 22).
Yhomo Hutchinson Photo