KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a stern policy announcement delivered to the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Minister of Land Titling and Settlements Robert Montague enacted a hardline new rule: any Jamaican who occupies unoccupied Crown land starting June 9 with the intent to squat will be permanently barred from eligibility for all government-managed land settlement programmes.
Montague, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for St Mary Western, clarified that the policy only applies to new encroachment, noting that existing squatters will retain their current standing under government programs. “If you’re there already yuh there already, but we not dealing with the new people,” he stated during his contribution to the annual Sectoral Debate.
Beyond tightening rules around new squatting, the minister also announced a sweeping crackdown on illegal land scamming, a persistent issue involving the fraudulent sale of publicly-owned Crown lands to unsuspecting buyers. Montague confirmed that ongoing investigations have resulted in a clear roadmap for enforcement: individuals caught illegally selling Crown land will face full criminal prosecution, while buyers who participate in these fraudulent transactions will forfeit any money they have invested.
To help Jamaicans avoid falling victim to these scams, Montague issued an urgent public advisory, urging all prospective land purchasers to verify ownership and legal status directly with the National Land Agency before completing any transaction. “Buying land is not like buying rice and flour, there’s a legal process but always remember, if it sounds too good to be true then it is not true. Save your money,” he added.
The minister also revealed that the Jamaican government has already completed comprehensive mapping of all occupied Crown lands, using advanced drone and spatial survey technology to create an accurate record of current occupants. This means authorities can clearly identify new encroachment occurring after the June 9 cutoff, he confirmed, adding that any new occupation will result in clear legal consequences.
In a nod to long-term solutions for the country’s longstanding squatting crisis, Montague announced that the government will soon unveil a major, comprehensive programme to address existing squatting in a systematic, orderly, and legally compliant manner. The new framework is designed to regularize legitimate land holdings while eliminating opportunities for fraud.
As part of the crackdown on scamming incentives, Montague emphasized that no public official has the authority to sell government-owned land, regardless of their position. “No member of parliament, nor councillor, nor JP, nor big man, nor area leader can sell government land,” he said. He also issued a direct warning to scammers who falsely claim to be acting on behalf of elected representatives: “To those persons scamming people and say is the MP send them, stop it because the MP never send yuh go do nutten like dat.”