KINGSTON, Jamaica— Prime Minister Andrew Holness, today handed out land titles to 33 residents from communities in St Andrew and Clarendon.

The citizens, who come from the Clarendon South Western, St Andrew Western and St Andrew West Central constituencies, were presented with their certificates of title along with a small plant, during a handover ceremony held at The Knutsford Court Hotel, in Kingston.

In his address, the Prime Minister said that his administration will be making it a priority to ensure that all Jamaicans can own property, and that ownership is done in a legal, transparent, fair and accessible manner.

“I am a firm believer that every single Jamaican can have access to land,” he stressed, adding that while he sympathises with citizens who have resorted to owning land by improper means because they are unable to afford land, he is putting everybody on alert that the Government is not going to sanction or have any sympathy on squatting and illegal settlements,” the prime minister said.

“At the same time, we are going to increase the availability of housing solutions and lots, so that people can have access to proper habitat legally and fairly,” he added.

“We are going to be very vigilant in ensuring that there is no more squatting taking place and Members of Parliament have a very important role to play, and you have to be very vigilant.  You know the lands in your communities and what shouldn’t be occupied,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Minister of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, Pearnel Charles Jr, while acknowledging that the Government is aware of the ongoing challenges that are being experienced by potential landowners in the acquisition of land, said that the Government is resolute in its quest to provide certificates of title to all purchasers.

He congratulated the new landowners, while advising them that owning a piece of land is one of the greatest investments they can make for themselves and future generations.

 “As a holder of titles, many doors will now be open to you that were previously closed and I encourage you to make use [of the opportunity]. I also urge you to take pride in and protect your investments by maintaining and improving your communities,” the minister said.

He said that a working group has been established from the ministry and the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation to fix and identify solutions with regard to land registration and to ensure that outstanding land titles are delivered to the landowners.

Meanwhile, two of the landowners, a mother/daughter duo, were among the happy group who expressed joy at becoming landowners.