PIOJ Growth-Inducement Strategy - Planning Institute of Jamaica

Current Status: This initiative could be implemented within an 18 to 24 month period,
through the public-private partnership modality but such a process would require that an
up to date inventory of all publicly owned land be developed.
6. Land registration and Title
Of the more than 800,000 parcels of land in Jamaica, approximately 47% are
unregistered. They represent "idle assets" since the lack of titles severely restricts their
use as capital for investment and the creation of wealth. This informality is evidenced by
the fact that the Jamaican land market boasts two distinct types of land titling operating in
parallel but which tend to favour increased informality (Deed system) primarily as a
result of the costing and regulatory framework applicable to the formal process (Torrens).
The major land titling initiative in Jamaica at this time falls under the Land
Administration and Management Programme (LAMP) which seeks to regularize and
clarify parcels of land in seven parishes. While bolstered by the Registration of Titles,
Cadastral Mapping and Tenure Clarification (Special Provisions) Act which allows for
special exemptions from Transfer Taxes, Stamp Duties and discounted legal fees, the
success of the programme has been less than robust. This has led to the establishment of
a public private partnership involving the Korea Cadastral Survey Corporation and the
launch of LAMP 2 in July 2010. This involves the expansion of LAMP’s activities into St
Elizabeth, Clarendon and Manchester, some of the parishes deemed to have the lowest
percentages of title distribution.
Current Status: The distribution of titles under LAMP 2 in particular is likely to be
constrained by an emerging capacity issue at the National Land Agency (NLA). This as
the NLA has opted to check 100 per cent of all surveys conducted under LAMP 2 relative
to the reported norm of 5 to 10 per cent. This will retard the timeliness of the process
significantly. There are also issues of financing. Whereas the average total cost of first
registration under LAMP is $70,000 some persons are unable to identify funds to pay for
same. Several private sector financial entities have been invited to participate. However,
they have opted to charge onerous commercial rates and there have been no takers of
these loan funds. The NHT is seeking to intervene in the market but are currently trying
to source inexpensive loan funds to on-lend to qualified participants.
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