PM Hands Over Titles To 30 Families In Greater Portmore

Jamaica News: Another 30 Jamaican families now have security of tenure after being presented with certificates of title to their own homes by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness.

The new homeowners, who hail from Greater Portmore, received their documents during a ceremony at the Greater Portmore Open Bible Church in St. Catherine on Wednesday (Dec. 18).

Prime Minister Holness told the beneficiaries that their titles empower them to enhance their social and financial standing.

“You now have ownership in law. You can pass it on your family, to your children. You can take loans on it if you so desire for the further advancement of your family or you could just rest in peace knowing that the hard work and sacrifice is now in your hands,” he said.

Mr. Holness noted that it was as a result of restructuring operations within the National Housing Trust (NHT) and the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ), including the turnover of the HAJ’s mortgage portfolio to the NHT, which facilitated the release of the recipients’ titles.

In the meantime, the Prime Minister said that come next year, the Government will “rapidly increase the number of housing solutions coming to market.”

“What we will do in Bernard Lodge, what we will do in St. Thomas and in other areas of the country, will rapidly expand housing and then we have to now reclaim the communities in Kingston to make them attractive again for people to live in,” he said.

These plans, he said, will help to alleviate the deficit of 15,000 new housing solutions each year.

Meanwhile, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., noted that the title handover was “a moment of tremendous pride not only for you, as you receive you titles, but for the Government of Jamaica.”

“It is a manifestation of hope and commitment of this Government to you and to the people of Jamaica (and is in keeping with) our duty, our responsibility, our desire to see home ownership for all of our citizens,” he added.