Holness warns against squatting

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has cautioned that the unchecked spread of squatter settlements is choking orderly development and putting lives at risk, as the demand for shelter continues to outstrip the supply of affordable, formal housing.

He said the pressure for housing has grown so intense that informal settlements have been allowed to take root in unsafe and unsuitable areas, creating long-term challenges for both residents and the State.

"When people build on gully banks, river courses and unstable slopes, it creates serious risks to life and makes proper community development almost impossible," Holness said

"Not every piece of land can or should be built on, especially in a time of more extreme weather and greater environmental risks."

The prime minister, who was speaking at the handing over of three multi-family units at Brooks Level Road, Stony Hill, St Andrew, on Friday, explained that unplanned communities leave no room for proper roads, green spaces, water systems or organised electricity networks, forcing the Government to spend significantly more to retrofit basic infrastructure after the fact.