Seek proper legal advice on land ownership matters

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Making headline news recently were reports of a 73-year-old woman allegedly killing her husband over being excluded from his will. This undoubtedly represents the extreme case of ‘fighting over dead lef’.

Sadly and indeed ironically, ‘fighting over dead lef’ is commonplace in Jamaica; the ‘land of wood and water’!

Even before Emancipation land has always been important. It was important to have land. Land meant power and with power came respect. It is no surprise, therefore, that we still regard landownership as a measure of real success.

Regrettably, however, for a significant number of us, we still do not understand what to do to gain a legal right and an interest in land. Consequently, the fight for the scare benefit continues.

We are also very familiar with stories of family members and close friends who seek to and often succeed in denying the rightful owners of their property. Oftentimes, people are operating under the incorrect opinion that their interest is secured because they have funded the acquisition of the property, not realising that without putting the necessary legal structure in place someone else who they have entrusted to secure their right has instead benefited.

It is important in dealing with landownership that we seek proper legal advice along the way and not rely on guidance from the village lawyer, which every community possesses. Indeed, perhaps had the 73-year-old woman who allegedly killed her husband because of being excluded from the will sought legal advice, she would have been aware that whether will or not, she would be entitled to a claim in, at the very least, the matrimonial home. Let us all commit to educating ourselves on these matters. After all, most if not all of us want a piece of this rock, Jamaica Land We Love.

PATRICE D. RILEY

Attorney-At-Law