WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — In a nation where generations have tilled soil they do not legally own, the People’s National Party (PNP) is positioning land reform not as policy — but as historical correction.
Addressing a crowd in Savanna-la-Mar over the weekend, Opposition MP and PNP standard-bearer Nekeisha Burchell declared that informal settlers on government land will no longer be treated as squatters, but as rightful citizens in line for documentation.
“This isn’t about squatters,” she said. “This is about recognizing Jamaicans who’ve kept land alive — not for years, but for decades.”
At the heart of the PNP’s proposal: a reduction in the mandatory 60-year occupation rule under the Registration of Titles Act. The party wants it brought down to 25 years, enabling long-time residents of Crown land to pursue legal ownership within their lifetime.
But Burchell says the vision goes further.
Turning History into Equity
The plan includes issuing provisional titles ahead of the 25-year mark, equipping occupants with documents they can take to banks for financing — effectively transforming homes into leverageable assets.
“This is about giving land a barcode. We’ll use GPS, we’ll use drones. If your family has lived there, the system will reflect it. Your presence will be mapped, not erased.”
The policy would exclude coastal foreshore lands, which will retain the 60-year requirement due to environmental sensitivity and national interest.
40,000 Titles a Year
The PNP anticipates delivering 40,000 land titles annually under a new public infrastructure model that pairs technology with decentralized verification. Burchell positioned it as both an economic and emotional restoration:
“Land is not just real estate. It’s history, it’s roots, and it’s respect. We’re not just giving land. We’re giving people back their place in the nation.”
