SSP Diaries | Time to eradicate squatting

Squatting is a nightmare in most developing countries, with very few authorities willing to make the unpleasant decisions needed to address this social issue. Jamaica is no different. In my humble opinion, squatting in our country is a direct legacy of 500 years of colonisation, featuring the greatest sin committed by man against his own species, namely, slavery. And, moreover, the inappropriate manner in which enslaved people transitioned into so-called free people, devoid of land ownership or the financial means with which to build a decent life. Compensation for such atrocities is something we must continue to demand but, in the interim, we must commit to addressing the problem ourselves.

The present situation sees a vast number of citizens living as squatters, many by choice and others having no alternative. The tourism industry, for example, fuelled this phenomenon, as the high demand for workers in resort areas along the north coast attracted people from far and wide who had no means of obtaining accommodation if they secured a job. As a result, many were forced to construct their own dwellings on land that appeared accessible, whether owned by the government or private individuals. Squatter communities located roughly a mile south of the north coast’s main roads testify to this occurrence. Many now occupy what is regarded as prime real estate. The phenomenon has since evolved to include people who take advantage of squatting opportunities, once they have secured employment far from their usual home environment, or who see it as an opportunity to start a business of their own.

time for national consensus

In all fairness to successive governments, attempts have been made over time to address this housing crisis. Today, many new foreign-funded tourism developments, such as hotels, are required to provide housing for staff during construction. Governments have also sought to regularise squatting in some areas by allowing occupants to be properly registered and purchase the land they have occupied. This situation can only worsen if it is not tackled seriously. Squatting in Jamaica is a threat to acceptable social norms. Many of these communities are ungovernable; by virtue of their ad hoc structure, they cannot be effectively policed. They lack proper waste-disposal systems, are not structured to facilitate access to normal social services, threaten contamination of local and possibly wider water tables serving various communities, are susceptible to disease outbreaks, and contribute to the continuation of political tribalism.

It is time for us to establish a national consensus on how to address this problem and achieve a lasting solution. This will require a genuine effort from our political parties and citizens, demanding that the problem be resolved once and for all. There must be a land redistribution policy. I have read that the government owns a significant amount of idle land. There is also the need to make land more affordable and not allow prices to be driven by what has been termed “illegally gained liquidity”. Working on the premise that successive population censuses have captured a significant portion of the squatting population and their status in society, there is the possibility of continuing the regularisation of occupied lands or even leasing land to people in this predicament. Naturally, if leasing becomes government policy, recipients must be required to produce in the national interest or lose their right to occupy the land. What about offering tax incentives to large organisations that build accommodation for their workers? Has it not sunk in yet that we have already lost much of our best land to squatters? It is critical that, whatever policies are introduced, those benefiting are brought into the tax net so they can begin contributing to the nation’s development.

Depending on the tourism industry to solve the squatting problem is not a sound approach. Nations have an obligation to provide proper housing, healthcare, security, and other essential services for their citizens, and Jamaica has not done a good job of eradicating this legacy of slavery. Introducing lessons at the primary-school level that educate children about unacceptable social behaviours such as squatting could go a long way toward creating the future we need to achieve, one in which squatting is non-existent, relegated to the past, and never allowed to return. A national policy is needed now. We are virtually sitting on a time bomb that could explode, with disastrous consequences for our country. The signs have already begun to manifest themselves in certain communities in recent times. Those affected have grown up believing that they have the right to do what they are doing, and even to be compensated for damages arising from natural or other disasters. No one has taught them otherwise over the centuries. They have tried, tested, and exploited the system over time to their benefit, especially from a political perspective. To continue kicking this ball down the road is to court catastrophe, as they, too, have become wiser over time. Addressing squatting in Jamaica is not beyond our capabilities; we must act now before it threatens our very survival.

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