JIS Press Release - August 16, 2026
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| The Most Honourable Dr Andrew Holness. |
Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness says the Government will develop a programme to address irregularly settled communities, as part of measures to prevent further squatting and informal settlement.
Dr. Holness was speaking during the handover of a house under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) in St. Ann on Friday (August 14), where he addressed the controversy surrounding the demolition of homes in Coopers Pen, Trelawny recently.
“In the same way we have developed this programme [NSHP]… it is the same way we will develop a programme to address squatter communities, irregularly settled communities, formalise them, regularise them, and prevent further squatting and informal settlement,” Dr. Holness said.
He stressed that whatever the government does “has to address the issue of informality, and we can’t be two-mouthed about it.”
“We have to speak straight—squatting is wrong, and informal settlement is not encouraged, but yes, every single Jamaican should have equal opportunity to get access to land and housing. But whatever our response is we have to be careful that we don’t set a precedence that is not sustainable,” he added.
The Prime Minister also informed that support has been mobilised for them through the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and the Ministry of Labour and Social security, to assist the affected families.
Meanwhile, Dr. Holness said the NSHP is as a highly successful platform upon which the Government is actively building.
Administered through the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, the NSHP has delivered 349 housing solutions, providing safe, resilient, and dignified homes for more than 1,600 vulnerable Jamaicans across 57 constituencies.
Approximately 65 additional housing solutions are currently under construction across the island.
Editor's Note
We cannot talk about increasing the population without increasing productivity, production, and the available housing.
All the people living on the land at Coopers Pen are not squatters; some are land captors.
As I listened to all the speakers and read the stories in the press about Coopers Pen, hardly any mention is made of the landowner who has been deprived of the land for many years.
It should be a crime for anyone to encourage persons to capture land or encourage persons to defraud the government to gain state benefits as a squatter.
We must be careful that the capturing of land is not escalated with the hope that the government will assist land captors.
Lawyers are saying that police officers detained men from the area illegally. The men were occupying the property illegally, and the police could have the right to detain them. They were also in contempt of court by refusing to follow the court order to move.
Bark Di Trute has published many articles on squatting and land capturing and has suggested that a policy should be developed and adhered to.
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Where and when squatting begun in earnest =1838 all slaves became landless and homeless not in barracks on plantations.anymore.
ReplyDeleteWe are Black descendants of squatter slaves (BDOSS)even those paying for the permission to squat those are the renters or people paying mortgages.
Those existing on lands captured or bought from original.land captures are looked down.on and called squatters.
Crown.lands.should be made available to even half to quarter acres per BDOSS or available liveable spaces.
PM Holness fear not listen to rational history.
In 1834-1838 over 450,000 slaves became squatters and you like many us is a descendant of squatting slaves.
You Sir listen to reason and act do not allow the squatter time bomb to go off.
Do not allow the descendants and associates if "BACKRA" to recapture Jamaica land and reintroduce modern slavery sometimes.sanitized as INVESTMENTS because with all.of that Jamaica is at the bottom of the Caribbean pile with lowest per capita GDP.
Unsquatting the population could be your greatest legacy have no fear it will unleash the greatest source of intergenerational wealth and liberation in the western world for descendants African slaves
Do it Maas Andrew do it bring the Opposition party and all Jamaicans on board.
Study Edward Seaga and Michael Manley methods combining both.
Go for it Maas Andrew Michael make Ĺabourites and your Comrade families proud
Mics 🖊 pen