Montague draws line in the sand for squatters on Crown lands

Jamaicans who take over Government lands with a view to becoming owners are being warned that effective June 9, 2026, those  who squat on Crown lands will no longer be considered for a settlement programme.

Minister with responsibility for Land Titling and Settlements Robert Montague yesterday also cautioned that persons who sell government lands would be prosecuted and the purchaser would lose his money.

“So check with the National Land Agency (NLA) before you buy any cheap land. Buying land is not like buying rice and flour; there is a legal process, but always remember if it sounds too good to be true, then it’s not true, so save your money,” Montague advised during his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in Parliament.

He said the Government has carried out drone and spatial surveys and knows what was on Crown lands. “So, if you go on the land after [Tuesday], you will face consequences,” he added.

However, he said the administration would soon announce a major programme to address squatting in a structured, orderly and legitimate way.

Noting that intensive discussions and consultations are under way to tackle the squatter challenge, Montague said the government knew there was the need to provide land for the landless but stressed that property rights must also be respected.

He said discussions are being held to determine whether the Government should reduce the time for adverse possession of Crown lands and should the period for adverse possession of private lands be increased.

With the cost to survey lands being prohibitive for some property owners, Montague said the administration was proposing a revolving fund where land holders of two acres and less can apply for a surveyor fee loan.

“Once the applicant applies through LAMP, an NLA trained lawyer or recognised land management services company, they will qualify and the funds will go directly to the surveyor and a caveat lodged against the title, so that taxpayers will recover the money,” he said.

An e-Title system is also being rolled out to help landowners to watch their property, so that they will be alerted if someone applies to Title their lands.

Montague said this would reduce the frequency within which persons move to take over private lands by adverse possession.

At the same time, the minister responsible for titling, said there are plans to deliver strata titles to beneficiaries who live in schemes owned and maintained by the Ministry of Housing.

“Starting this year, we will have them assessed and do corrective works on at least one scheme so that we can apply to the municipal authorities for certificate of completion, have them strata-titled and titles issued to beneficiaries,” he said.

The Ministry of Housing owns and maintains 113 of those housing schemes.

As part of its Hurricane response, Montague said the ministry has assisted, free of cost, more than 3,000 people with copies of their documents that were destroyed or damaged.

He said more than 5,000 titles would be produced this financial year and distributed, especially to persons in Western Jamaica. “Our surveyors are currently doing 4,000 surveys and in partnership with the NHT, we intend to do more.”

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