Government to Spend Billions to Regularise Informal Settlements

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has announced plans by the Government to spend billions on the regularisation of informal settlements in Jamaica.

Dr. Holness made the disclosure on September 25 while breaking ground for the Spicy Grove Infrastructure Works project in St. Mary, which will see the implementation of roadways, water infrastructure, electricity and land titling in that community.

He said that the financial allocation will be made for the next three years to improve communities like Spicy Grove.

“Where the communities need roads, water, other infrastructure and some amount of restructuring to get them titles, we will be doing this sort of intervention. It is very important that we regularise informal settlements,” the Prime Minister emphasised.

Noting that there are roughly 750 informal settlements in Jamaica with around 600,000 people living in them (per the last population census), Dr. Holness pointed out that with the formalisation of land tenure, persons will be more likely to value their communities.

“What we are doing is ensuring that the people in the community take ownership of the community,” he said.

At Spicy Grove, 70 lots will be surveyed and titled.

A contract was signed with Southland Construction Limited for the execution of the works.