Gov’t Reaffirms Commitment to Strengthening Land Tenure Security Across Jamaica

With more than 23,400 land titles issued under the National Land Titling Programme, the Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening land tenure security across the country.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, notes that more than half of these have been issued between 2021 and 2025 under the new Systematic Land Titling System.

“When it comes to land titles, the Administration of Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has delivered. The Ministry led by the Prime Minister has advanced land tenure security through the… National Land Titling Programme. So when the Prime Minister says this is a priority in Westmoreland, for example, it is already a priority of this Government, and we’re going to extend the work that we’re doing there,” the Minister said.

She made the remarks in response to a question on land tenure while closing the debate on the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Act in the Senate on May 8. The legislation was passed without amendments.

Regarding the issue of land, Senator Morris Dixon noted that the Prime Minister has emphasised that, “we will approach the problem in Westmoreland with the necessary sensitivity and passion to ensure that every citizen… has a fair chance and a fair opportunity to access land”.

She further quoted the Prime Minister as saying, “The objective of the Government is to give you ownership of land that is secure, land that can be lived on in a sustainable way, and land that forms part of the planned area of the Government.”

Senator Morris Dixon added that the Prime Minister made these remarks in the context of recovery efforts following Hurricane Melissa.

NaRRA will serve as the central coordinating authority for post-hurricane reconstruction, with a mandate to eliminate bureaucracy, fragmentation, and project delays.

It will also operate as a centre of technical excellence for project preparation and delivery, ensuring that the quality of national plans aligns with the scale of the country’s ambitions.

The legislation was approved by the House of Representatives on April 29.