MP queries acquisition of Bernard Lodge lands
Published:Monday | March 5, 2018 | 12:00 AM
Member of Parliament for St Catherine South Fitz Jackson has raised concerns that large tracts of government land are being acquired "under the radar" at Bernard Lodge by private interests without the public being informed that these lands are up for sale.
At a meeting of Parliament's Standing Finance Committee last week, Jackson indicated that the National Environment and Planning Agency had approved a change of use for the Bernard Lodge lands in St Catherine for residential and other purposes. However, he demanded answers from the Government as to why the public was not aware that lands at Bernard Lodge were now being offered for development.
"Why is it that there is no public pronouncement, parti-cularly in respect of the whole change of use? That is the most egregious part of it. The Government go ahead and have the change of use to facilitate persons, whoever are the persons or entities who are getting the land they will know, but nobody else knows?" Jackson queried.
REQUEST PREMATURE
Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job, Daryl Vaz, said that Jackson's request for information was premature, as the Cabinet was still reviewing the matter.
He said the previous administration had initiated a process for a number of acres of land to be transferred from the National Land Agency to the Sugar Company of Jamaica, which increased its land bank by some 8,000 acres.
Vaz said the current administration identified tracts of land in Bernard Lodge for change of use from agriculture to light industrial and residential.
The senior government minister said the matter was taken to Cabinet and instructions were given to craft a master plan, which was just completed and would return to Cabinet for its approval.
He said as soon as Cabinet signs off on the master plan, the public would be advised.
However, Jackson did not relent: "Is it, or is it not a fact that negotiations are already in place for much of that acreage with parties to occupy them for different activities?"
Vaz responded: "A miniscule amount of land," adding that the Sugar Company of Jamaica has "thousands of acres of land but no money, and therefore, they need money to be able to pay their bills ..."
He later admitted that about 200 acres of land were currently being negotiated.