NLA has Introduced New Services

The National Land Agency (NLA) has added a number of new features, which are designed to improve service to customers.
These new features, which were added over the last four years, included a Simultaneous Lodgments facility to speed up the process for preparing land titles; customized data sales, an internet land database, a master map of Portmore and a new probate unit.
A document from the NLA stated that the Simultaneous Lodgments service, which was developed and tested over the period 2004-2005, allows developers to apply and receive splinter titles for developments within 40 days.
The NLA informed that in the past, a lengthy process would have to be undertaken where the survey plans would be taken to the Survey Department for checking, after which, an application would be made to the Titles Office for the splinter titles to be prepared.
The service, the NLA has said, reinforced the decision to merge the government’s land services into one land agency, which would be more useful to land developers.
As it relates to customized data sales, the agency now has customized maps, available in digital as well as hard copy format.
These maps, the agency has said, provides information on land parcels of interest to potential developers, including related road networks and information for vehicle tracking and fleet management.
In addition, an internet land database, called e-land Jamaica, was developed to provide land data over the internet, including valuation roll data and copies of certificates of title. Some 337 customers have accessed the service as of February 2006.
A second phase of the project is being worked on “to make the system more user-friendly, [to] allow for a wider variety of maps to be available over the internet and.allow payments to be made by credit card.”
Meanwhile, the NLA said that the master map, which was developed for the Portmore Municipality “is a revolutionary map, as it allows the user the flexibility to adjust the features to suit their needs.”
The map is presented in 10 layers and shows features such as schools, churches as well as drainage and road networks. The map is available in paper format as well as digitally and is global positioning system compatible.
The agency informed that this map was being developed into a road map and that a similar one was being developed for Kingston and St. Andrew.
Meanwhile, the NLA’s Corporate Legal Division has established a pilot project to assist beneficiaries of persons allotted land under the land settlement schemes, to administer the estates of allottees that have died. The project started last November with allottees in Golden Valley, St. Thomas.
According to the NLA, allottees are persons, who have entered into land settlement agreements with the government. These agreements provide for payment of the purchase price over a 25-year period. Thereafter, the Commissioner of Lands would issue a registered title.