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National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang said the government remains committed to tackling illegal settlement and making it easier for migrants to obtain legal status through formal means.
After touring parts of Paradise, Glendevon and Norwood Townships in St James on August 23, he noted that they are pushing to prioritize affordable housing for working people in parishes across the country.
Dr Zhang said the right approach was to give people security of tenure over the “assets” they had accumulated over the years.
“The history of Montego Bay is a reflection of a town where people were not able to access land in an organised way. In fact, we ended up with quite a few informal settlements because as the town grew, there was no structured response to the workers’ housing needs,” the Minister noted.
“Housing and land tenure in general is the philosophy of this government. It comes from respect for the people. We seek to provide them with equality in society. When a person owns a home, it is very different than when he rents… or is forced to squat,” he added.
Dr Zhang said many landlords were attracted by the lucrative Airbnb business, which made it increasingly difficult for people to find rental properties, forcing some to choose to live illegally.
He said while the government would never encourage or endorse the practice, it was aware that some people had been occupying land and building houses for years without any legal documents to prove ownership.
“We have to find ways to help them legalise… protect their assets and do business if needed,” Dr Zhang added.
The Minister noted that the Government is proactively addressing these issues, stressing a “commitment to equity” and respect for all Jamaicans, which has “driven initiatives aimed at providing access to land ownership, basic infrastructure and improved affordable housing opportunities.”
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