ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — Managing Director of the SCJ Holdings Limited (SCJH) Joseph Shoucair is refuting claims made in the media that the state-owned company has, without due process, ordered the demolition of homes of 15 families at Innswood Estates in St Catherine.

In a statement late Monday, SCJH outlined that it entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with Silversun Homes Limited (SHL) on October 2, 2013, for the construction of a housing development on approximately 70 hectares of land part of Innswood, St Catherine.

“Occupying parts of these lands were estate houses, which were then occupied by certain persons who had no title, right or interest in the land. During their occupation, these residents occupied the land rent-free and benefited from the electricity and water supply paid for by SCJH,” the statement added.

Shoucair further explained in the statement that: “In 2014, SCJH met with the Red Hills Residents to advise them of the plans for the development of the land, which would involve their ultimate removal from the Innswood land.

“Following the meetings, SCJH offered to assist the Red Hills residents to facilitate their relocation from the land to an alternative location. After much negotiation, they agreed to accept the offer to be relocated to Ebony Park, St Catherine.

“Following the consensus on the location, in the presence of their attorney-at-law, the residents were asked to execute a Deed of Release and Discharge in May 2020 and did so willingly.”

The SCJH managing director highlighted that, along with the assistance of Food for the Poor Jamaica, it saw to the construction of 10 housing units on land at Ebony Park, equipped with electricity from the Jamaica Public Service Company and water from National Water Commission. He said the company also provided each resident with a tank for the storage of water as an interim measure, due to the low pressure in the NWC line.

Shoucair outlined that misleading reports in the media have stated that 15 families were removed and without notice, however, a consideration of the facts revealed that as of February 9, only the occupants of four of the structures remained at Red Hills, as all the others had relocated to Ebony Park in keeping with their commitment in May 2020.

“Despite our best efforts to have the remaining occupants, whose possession has prevented the SCJH from being able to grant the buyer vacant possession, to vacate the lands; there was no alternative but using the legal options available”, he explained.

Shoucair went further to state that the SCJH has committed to getting titles for all the relocated people and assisting with completing the development of the new community.

He further dismissed claims that personal items were damaged in the operation on Saturday morning.