Government signs US$9M agreement with Republic of Korea for the Land Administration and Capacity Enhancement Project

The Government of Jamaica has signed an agreement with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to launch the Land Administration Capacity Enhancement Project (LACEP), an initiative geared towards strengthening Jamaica’s land administration framework through institutional innovation, technical capacity-building, and advancements in geospatial technologies.

The partnership was solidified through an inception ceremony held at the Jamaica House Banquet Hall on May 12, 2026.

The Project, funded through a grant of Nine Million United States Dollars (USD$9,000,000.00) from KOICA, valued at approximately One Billion Four Hundred and Twenty-three Million Four Hundred and Forty Thousand Jamaican Dollars (JMD$1,423,440,000.00), will establish the Land Administration Innovation Centre (LAIC) at 84 Harbour Street, Kingston. The agreement received Cabinet approval in October 2025, and was executed between KOICA, the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, and the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development acting through the National Land Agency (NLA).

The Land Administration Innovation Centre (LAIC) will provide structured training and technical development opportunities for high-level policymakers, managerial personnel, and operational-level officers across the public sector.

Speaking at the Inception Ceremony, Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Honourable, Andrew Holness expressed that the LACEP is aimed at reducing the barriers relating to security of tenure noting that through “a partnership with the Government of Jamaica and Korea International Cooperation Agency we are strengthening the institutional skills, systems and technology that will enable Jamaica to administer land more efficiently, more transparently, and more productively.”

Building on this vision, the Prime Minister further disclosed that the LAIC supported by the Project will be “renovated and equipped as a modern training and innovation facility for the National Land Agency and the wider government. It is the kind of investment which shifts institutional capacity in a tangible and lasting way.”

The Centre will be renovated and outfitted with conference rooms, computer laboratories, office spaces and specialised training infrastructure to support the implementation of the training programmes, which will be offered to build the Government’s capacity in land surveying, cadastral mapping, GIS applications, land record management, cybersecurity, geoinformatics, and surveying technician development.

Dr. Holness further affirmed that “the real value lies in the people that will train there and the capability that will take root. Technology alone does not transform institutions, people do. When people have knowledge, discipline, systems and leadership to use technology effectively institutions change and they change rapidly.”

Minister with responsibility for Land Titling and Settlements, Honourable Robert Montague, welcomed the initiative as a significant step towards strengthening Jamaica’s land administration framework and enhancing national technical capacity. He declared that “today is an historic day [as it] marks another chapter in the long history of friendship between Jamaica and South Korea.” He reiterated that the benefits of the project will be far-reaching as it will address the “shortage of technicians and surveying professionals in the field.”

Meanwhile, Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Joongkeun Oh, reaffirmed the Republic of Korea’s commitment to advancing Jamaica’s land administration framework and building the technical capacity of the country’s geospatial professionals.

“The LACEP we launch today is far more than a technical project to build a system. It is a decisive first step toward realising Jamaica’s grand vision, awakening the nation’s sustainable economic potential, dramatically enhancing administrative efficiency through transparent digital governance,” he said.

Mr. Oh also expressed that the Government of the Republic of Korea and KOICA “stand ready to facilitate strategic consultation with the GOJ and international financial institutions” and “are prepared to collaborate closely in exploring practical financing and implementation strategies to advance the vision of the Government of Jamaica.”

The Project will be implemented through collaboration with the Korea Land and Geospatial Informatix Corporation (LX) and the University of Seoul, which will serve as executing partners, supporting project management, technical training, curriculum development, and institutional strengthening initiatives.

The LACEP initiative forms part of broader efforts to institutionalise training and knowledge transfer in land administration, while positioning Jamaica to respond more effectively to the evolving demands of digital transformation, sustainable development, and modern geospatial management.