Government is to acquire several properties as it moves to regularise the land occupation of 330 residents of informal settlements across the island. The properties are to be acquired under the Local Improvement Community [Amenities] Act (LICA), which makes provision for the declaration of certain defined areas comprising specified lands, as special improvements (infrastructure) areas. The Act also allows for...

The Government has been provided with US$125,000 by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat) to implement the second phase of the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP). An initiative of the UN Habitat, the PSUP aims to advance the living conditions in urban areas, thus contributing to Millennium Development Goal 7, Target 11, which speaks to significantly improving the...

The design phase of a national geo-database on squatting has been completed as the Government continues its work to address the issue of illegal land occupation across the country. The development of this database will assist the Squatter Management Unit in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing to be better able to identify, monitor, and contain incidents of squatting...

Regional Operations Manager at the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Eifert Daley, is appealing to citizens in western Jamaica to be more responsible in their waste disposal practices. Mr. Daley said the NSWMA has been experiencing challenges in clearing solid waste because of the unregulated disposal practices of residents, especially in Montego Bay. Addressing the final of the annual...

The Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing has been carrying out a number of infrastructure projects to upgrade and regularise settlements, in order to alleviate the problem of illegal land tenure. “Over the last financial year, we completed 32 housing solutions at Albany (Esher) in St. Mary and at 21 August Town Road in St. Andrew. Incremental upgrading works with...

The Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing will be working with the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ) to achieve its target of distributing approximately 3,500 registered titles to landowners, during this financial year. Of that number, a total of 3,038 persons currently residing in Operation PRIDE schemes across the island are expected to receive titles, under the HAJ’s land titling...

The Government is seeking to make the roadways safer for the traveling public, through changes to the Road Traffic Act, which will establish a number of new penalties and rules, aimed at reducing road crashes and fatalities. Making his contribution to the 2014/15 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on June 4, following the tabling of the Bill, Minister...

The National Housing Trust (NHT) will be disbursing over $22.4 billion on construction and mortgage financing activities for the financial year 2014/15. This was disclosed by Minister with responsibility for Housing, Hon. Dr. Morais Guy, during his contribution to the 2014/15 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, June 4. He also informed that the NHT plans to...

The Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ) is currently repositioning itself to play an even greater role in facilitating home ownership for Jamaicans. “With a vision of contributing to an improved standard of living through social transformation and the provision of affordable shelter solutions with security of tenure, Jamaicans can expect much from the agency during the year,” Minister with responsibility...