MP to help Piggot Street residents get land through LAMP

Barrington Flemming, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:Member of Parliament for West Central St James Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams says she is taking steps to formalise the tenure of residents occupying 99 lots at Pigott Street in Mount Salem, Montego Bay, under the Land Administration Management Programme (LAMP).

Ffolkes-Abrahams made the statement during a community meeting with the residents, and official owner of the property, Mark Kerr-Jarrett, at the Tornado Youth Club House last Thursday.

"I will apply on behalf of all of you. We need a survey to be done, and we need the actual title for the land, which is being held by Mr Kerr-Jarrett, who has long expressed the desire to turn over the land to you," Ffolkes Abrahams said. "So we are going to need the names and have the lots assigned, and we are asking LAMP to make it a speedy process."

She said while the process would require sacrifices, she and the residents were prepared to do what was necessary to ensure the orderly development of the area and acquisition of the titles.

Mark Kerr-Jarrett reiterated the stipulation formerly laid out by Barnett Estates that the Committee for the Upliftment of Tenants should provide a development plan for the area, adding that he was encouraged by the fact that LAMP would be the lead agency responsible for the process.

BUILDING COMMUNITIES

"It is important that the people who are going to benefit have to pay in sweat and money to receive the benefit. So it is important to have the infrastructure put in place. So I am really happy to hear about LAMP and the reorganisation of this committee, because, people, it's about building communities, and that's what we do professionally as a company, and it is something that we will help you do," he said.

Consulting engineer for the project, Kerry Thomas, told the meeting that the primary focus would be on the infrastructure that was needed to make the community a sustainable one.

"We have to ensure that there is proper road, a sewerage system, potable water, along with proper drainage. These are the four primary things that we will focus on to uplift this area. We will also look at constructing sidewalks and hold discussions with the Jamaica Public Service to have street lights erected," Thomas said.