ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — Managing Director of SCJ Holdings Limited, Joseph Shoucair, says he is confident that the individuals relocated from Innswood Estates in St Catherine are in a “much better position” following their move last week.

“A lot of persons have sought to gain mileage on the back of an unavoidable demolition exercise that was a legal imperative; however, we (SCJ Holdings Limited) are of the view that more has been done for those residents during this exercise than anything that could have reasonably been expected,” Shoucair said.

According to Shoucair, the residents will now be property owners, in their own right, with registered titles and will be part of a formal community, with utilities and greater security.

“There has been misinformation that these families were left homeless. On the contrary, they were all given homes that are for the most part equal or greater in space than those that previously existed”, he said.

In a release, he explained that SCJ has been in dialogue with the affected persons since as far back as 2013 and signed agreements with all of the householders, upon the advice of and in the presence of their attorneys.

He cautioned people against politicising and sensationalising the exercise, stating that “SCJ had gone above and beyond accommodating the smooth transition of these families.”

“We have provided each of the relocated families with $50,000 to offset the costs of relocating, compensation in excess of $1.5 million will be paid for fruit trees that had been planted at the Red Hills location, and trucks were provided to aid with the moving. In one case, a large family was provided with two houses. All of the houses have standby water tanks, we have begun the installation of street lights in the new community and householders will be provided with registered titles, in their names,” Shoucair said.

“I am somewhat relieved that political and community representatives have visited the residents at their new homes in Ebony Park so that the fables regarding them being left homeless can be put to rest,” he added.

He said that the demolition had become necessary, but emphasised that six of the 10 households at Innswood had honoured their contractual agreements and had moved prior to the demolition date, by which time they were already relocated and settled.