Ministry offers flat rate for Lilliput lots

Residents of the informal community of Lilliput in St. James have been offered a flat rate not exceeding $300,000 for the lots in the area.

The special price, which is only for this year, is expected to make it easier for residents to acquire titles for the property, which they now occupy.

Addressing the ground breaking ceremony for phase three infrastructure works in that community recently, Minister of Water and Housing, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, said that instructions have been given to the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ) to apply one standard price for the lots.

“What I am going to suggest to the Housing Agency…is to give you a flat price for this year, which will come out at about $250, 000 to a maximum $300,000, but I am going to ask you to pay it off this year and you will get the flat rate,” he told the residents.

He pointed out that if the sum is not paid off within the calendar year, then the old pricing arrangement will be reverted to. “We want to give all of you your titles this year, and we figure that if we do it that way it will be an incentive because you now have value,” he stated.

Lilliput, which is located in the Rose Hall resort area, is one of several informal communities across the island that the Government is seeking to regularise so that the residents can become proud land owners.

Mr. Chang said that in “a very short time”, the Ministry expects to have ready and distribute more than 30,000 titles for lands in Lilliput, Norwood, Glendevon, Providence, and Flanker in St. James.

He said that it is the intention of his Ministry to eradicate squatting in Jamaica and, not only will informal communities be provided with upgraded facilities and adequate infrastructure in terms of road, light and water, “but residents will also get titles for the lands they occupy, so that they can become true owners of their own little piece of the rock called Jamaica”.

CONTACT: BRYAN MILLER

JIS REGIONAL OFFICE

MONTEGO BAY