Easington Residents Will Not Lose Homes Under Land Divestment

Residents currently occupying lands owned by the St. Thomas Municipal Corporation in Easington, St. Thomas, have been assured that they will not be displaced as a result of the planned divestment of the property.

Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, Kevin McKindoe, gave the assurance during a community meeting at Easington Primary School on Thursday (November 5), where he outlined the procedures for regularising landownership and providing occupants with an opportunity to acquire titles.

He explained that persons whose applications identify their addresses as being on the Easington property will receive additional points during the evaluation process, subject to verification.

“Persons who put their address as being on this property, which we will verify, it will allow you to score much greater points when we’re evaluating all the factors,” he said.

Mr. McKindoe cautioned residents against concerns that the process could result in them losing their homes.

“I don’t want anybody to listen to any noise that would suggest that you will be losing your house. That’s a no-no,” he stressed.

He explained that following the Corporation’s assessment, recommended applicants will be submitted to a Land Investment Committee in Kingston for review, after which approval will be given by Minister with Responsibility for Land Titling and Settlements in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, Hon. Robert Montague.

The recommendations will then be forwarded to the National Land Agency (NLA) to facilitate the preparation of the necessary agreements and payment arrangements.

Mr. McKindoe also pointed to the potential economic benefits of the divestment, noting that the arrival of additional residents could create greater opportunities for businesses and service providers in the community.

“What that would mean for your community, you could have new persons coming in to occupy parcels of this land. It would mean whatever business or services you’re providing in this community; you would have more persons to sell to… you’ll have more persons to buy your products or whatever service you provide,” he said.

The latest development forms part of ongoing efforts by the St. Thomas Municipal Corporation to subdivide the approximately 100-acre Easington property during the current year, in preparation for its eventual disposal.

The proposed subdivision and divestment are intended to facilitate housing development, while addressing long-standing land-tenure challenges affecting residents in the area.