Residents of Angel’s Heights to get Titles

Residents of the Angel Heights community in Spanish Town, St. Catherine will soon receive land titles, as the Government continues to put measures in place to assist persons to regularise their land tenure.

Speaking with JIS News following a tour of the community on March 15 Minister with responsibility for Housing, Hon. Dr. Morais Guy, said it a major priority of the Government is to assist informal settlers to obtain their land titles.

"In terms of the way forward, we are looking at certain innovative ways to see how we can issue titles to citizens of these settlements with a view that they will use this title as a vehicle for economic growth and development, not only in their community, but in the country as a whole,” he said.

Dr. Guy informed that Angel Heights “is one of those informal settlements that people have built substantial structures on in terms of houses” and the area "has been languishing for many years now” with no major development taking place in the area.

He said that the purpose of his tour of the community was to "see the condition that exists and to meet with the people to explain the processes that are going to take place, for them to ultimately (receive) their titles".

Member of Parliament for St. Catherine North Central and Minister with responsibility of Sports, Hon. Natalie Neita-Headley, who accompanied Dr. Guy on the tour, said arrangements are being made to develop the area by putting in the necessary infrastructure. 

"We are now initiating the process of doing the surveying and NHT (National Housing Trust) has been invited to discuss mortgage arrangements with them (residents) so they may be able to afford whatever it is that the Ministry of Housing (will) sell the land to them," she said.

Mrs. Neita-Headley said the National Water Commission (NWC) has also been brought in to regularise the water supply.

Following the tour, both Ministers met with the residents on the grounds of the Crescent Primary School to inform them of what to expect going forward.

An informal settlement for approximately 30 years, the Angel Heights property was bought by the Ministry of Housing under the last administration with a view to declaring it under the Housing Act and to allow citizens to purchase the land.

By Alecia Smith-Edwards, JIS Reporter