Where Must the Poor Go to Live?
Many persons in the island of Jamaica has been going through this terrible problem of taking up residency on occupied land that has been sitting there for many years with the intention of buying that property from the government someday. But in most cases that I have heard of, that some day never comes because the government sells the property to some investors, mainly a foreigner who then has these people kick off the property one way or the other. Leaving these people, citizens of the country and residence of the land, pleading and begging for some political representative to step-in and safe the day which never usually happens.
What are these squatters supposed to do?
Where should they go and live?
What security can they offer their growing family who only know of that place as their home?
Some of these people had built concrete structures with the hope that they will have somewhere concrete and secure to stay for the rest of their lives. Most of these persons has sell their produce on the streets daily, has thrown partners weekly and monthly just so they could have a place to call home and rest peacefully at nights. Only to learn that someone shows up and start making claims on the property and demanding for them to leave off the property and find somewhere else to go and live which is usually on the streets; causing many to have a mental breakdown.
This I must say is very appalling to this nation!
Especially, when I have heard the Minister responsible for Land, Agriculture and Fishery talking about hundred of acres of land being idle while there are so many idle hands in this country.
I do understand the protocol of saving your money, getting a loan from the bank to assist you with obtaining these kinds of assets, however, we all know that the route to economical stability doesn't always take one straight avenue.
Therefore, I don't see why the government of this country cannot come up with a system to assist these "Squatter Dwellers" by having them pay for these lands which they have being occupying for so long now that their houses are completed or in the process of being finishing up soon! Bringing about an income in the government's pocket from land taxes and the sales from the land, and a people who can have pride in their country and their government.
Why increase the homeless problems and mental issues in this country when their is a reasonable solution to this kind of situation?
Keep in mind, many of these families already have children who are going to school, and what is worst than to uproot a child from their community where they are seeing progress all around them everyday; just to have them and their parent homeless or begging to stay at other persons house or around other relatives house? Which, I might had, will lead many of these children to join the criminal community, encouraging violence and fear in our society because their sense of security was snatch away from right under them.
Government of Jamaica, it's full time you do the right thing and support your people where it is really needed... they have made a step to help themselves, help them to go the distance by charging them a fee for the land they now occupied and deed at the end of such payments. Ultimately, reducing the crime rate, creating happier families and saving funds that would be spent in the prison system.
Enough is enough!
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