“There are Jamaicans alive today who have worked the same piece of land for forty years. They have built a home on it, farmed it, and raised a family on it and still cannot prove, on paper, that it belongs to them. That gap between possession and title is not a bureaucratic inconvenience. It is a barrier to finance, to security, to inheritance, and to the formal economy. The Land Administration Capacity Enhancement Project will change that.” – Prime Minister Holness
Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness says the newly launched Land Administration Capacity Enhancement Project (LACEP) will modernize Jamaica’s land administration system, expand economic opportunity, and help thousands of Jamaicans convert informal land occupancy into legally recognized assets that can support wealth creation and national development.
Speaking yesterday at the project’s Inception Ceremony, Prime Minister Holness said the initiative directly addresses one of the country’s longstanding development barriers, which is the inability of many Jamaicans to formally prove ownership of land they have occupied and developed for decades.
“There are Jamaicans alive today who have worked the same piece of land for forty years. They have built a home on it, farmed it, and raised a family on it and still cannot prove, on paper, that it belongs to them,” the Prime Minister said.
“That gap between possession and title is not a bureaucratic inconvenience. It is a barrier to finance, to security, to inheritance, and to the formal economy. The Land Administration Capacity Enhancement Project is to change that,” he added.
The project is being implemented through a partnership between the Government of Jamaica and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), with KOICA providing a grant of up to US$9 million (approximately J$1.42 billion) over the period 2025 to 2031.
Prime Minister Holness said the investment represents a transformational step in strengthening Jamaica’s land governance infrastructure and public administration systems.
“We are building a system that is faster, more accurate, more accessible, and more responsive to citizens, investors, planners, and communities,” he stated.
The initiative will also establish a new Land Administration and Innovation Centre at 84 Hanover Street in Kingston, which will serve as a modern training and innovation hub for the National Land Agency and wider Government operations. The facility will include office spaces, conference rooms, computer laboratories, specialized software systems, surveying equipment, drones, and advanced geospatial technologies.
Dr. Holness said the project’s impact will extend far beyond administrative reform and will directly influence economic productivity, investment confidence, housing delivery, and access to financing.
“When land is properly surveyed, mapped, recorded, and titled, the effects ripple outward. A family can access a mortgage. A farmer can use land as collateral. An investor can assess a site with confidence. Government can identify and unlock the value of public lands,” he said.
“Disputes decline. Infrastructure planning improves. Environmental management becomes more precise. Housing delivery accelerates. A land title is more than a document; it is a platform for opportunity,” he added.
Furthermore, the project will also expand technical training in areas such as geoinformatics, cadastral mapping, GIS technologies, cybersecurity, land records management, and surveying. The Prime Minister said this capacity-building component is critical to ensuring Jamaica develops the technical expertise needed to manage and improve modern public systems.
Prime Minister Holness said the Land Administration Capacity Enhancement Project aligns with the Government’s broader agenda to modernize public administration, strengthen investment readiness, formalize assets, and support inclusive growth for Jamaicans.
