LAWMAKERS have acknowledged that many Jamaicans who could be affected by the proposed Shared Community Bill may not fully understand its implications, prompting calls for the legislation to be explained in language ordinary homeowners can follow.

The proposal was made by Member of Parliament for St Andrew South Eastern Julian Robinson, who last Thursday urged the committee examining the legislation to go beyond inviting written submissions and organise an online public education session to spell out the Bill’s main provisions and what they could mean for residents of gated communities.

The joint select committee, chaired by Robert Montague, subsequently agreed to advertise for public submissions, hold a town hall meeting with both in-person and online participation, and arrange a visit to an existing shared community as part of its review of the proposed Registration (Shared Community) Bill, 2026.

Robinson said the exercise is important because residents could be affected by the proposed law without having a clear understanding of what it would require of them.

HAMILTON… called for the committee to visit a shared community so members can see how such developments operate in practice

“Given how many persons are likely to be affected by this Bill, I think it’s important if we organise — and it can be done online — a session which kind of, I’m going to use a term, ‘JAMAL-ise’ the Bill. Most people can’t really understand the legalese, but we could break it down so people understand the implications, and then they can have an opportunity to give their feedback,” he said.

Robinson’s JAMAL reference was to the Jamaican Movement for the Advancement of Literacy which was launched by the Government in October 1974 to eradicate adult illiteracy.

The joint select committee’s outreach plans come as it begins examining legislation intended to establish rules for the management of shared residential and commercial developments, including gated communities where property owners share facilities, spaces and maintenance costs.

The Bill seeks to address problems that can arise when residents share responsibility for common areas but lack a clear legal structure to manage them. These include difficulties enforcing decisions made by community committees, setting rules for shared spaces, overseeing how residents’ contributions are spent, and resolving disputes over maintenance fees.

Entrance to a gated community

Under the proposed framework, the Real Estate Board would oversee the registration and regulation of shared communities. The legislation would also provide for community bodies with defined responsibilities, including managing common property and collecting contributions from owners to meet shared expenses.

The Bill contains provisions dealing with the payment and recovery of contributions, as well as an order of possession and a power of sale. These measures make public understanding particularly important, as the legislation could have significant financial and property-related implications for homeowners.

Robinson, who said his St Andrew South Eastern constituency has a large number of these developments, argued that residents need an opportunity to understand the proposals before giving their views.

“There is concern, but I wouldn’t say full understanding of the implications of the Bill so I would ask us if we could include that in the public education process that we’re doing. And, as I said, I think it can be done online to facilitate the broadest participation,” he said.

ROBINSON… there is concern, but I wouldn’t say full understanding of the implications of the Bill

Trelawny Northern Member of Parliament (MP) Tova Hamilton also called for the committee to visit a shared community so members could see how such developments operate in practice, and help residents understand the difference between shared communities and strata developments.

Committee Chairman Montague supported the suggestion while jokingly describing it as a field trip.

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development Arlene Williams also backed public education, suggesting that the committee should consider an in-person town hall meeting in addition to an online session.

However, Montague initially raised concerns that holding a physical meeting in one location could prevent people in other parts of the island from participating. He said an online meeting would allow people from across Jamaica to take part, provided they have Internet access.

The discussion eventually moved towards a combined approach, with MP for St Andrew North Western Duane Smith insisting that at least one physical meeting should be held and streamed online at the same time.

Hamilton supported that position, arguing that face-to-face discussions could allow residents to express themselves differently.

In outlining the committee’s plans, Montague said notices would be placed in a daily newspaper and on the relevant websites to invite submissions. Specific organisations would also be contacted and asked to provide their views, while the invitation would remain open to other interested groups.

Montague described the legislation as long-awaited and necessary, saying it is intended to improve fairness, accountability, and the management of communities where owners share property and facilities.

He said the Bill had been in development for more than eight years and that the committee now needed to move the review forward while addressing problems affecting these developments.

The proposed legislation contains 60 sections and three schedules covering matters including registration of shared community plans, the responsibilities of community corporations, finances, the collection of contributions, recovery of unpaid money, powers of sale, and the responsibilities of property owners.