Prime Minister Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness has warned that the rapid growth of informal settlements is limiting the proper development of communities, as the Government continues to scale up the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP).

Speaking at the handing over of three multi-family units at Brooks Level Road, Stony Hill today, (January 30, 2026), the Prime Minister said the overwhelming demand for shelter has outpaced the Government’s ability to provide affordable formal housing, allowing informality and squatting to “run wild.”

“When people build on gully banks, river courses and unstable slopes, it creates serious risks to life and makes proper community development almost impossible”… “Not every piece of land can or should be built on, especially in a time of more extreme weather and greater environmental risks.”

He explained that informal settlements leave little or no space for proper roads, green areas, water infrastructure and organised electricity supply, making communities more costly and difficult to regularise after the fact.

He said to address this, the Government has intensified efforts to speed up formal housing development while expanding social housing for those who cannot afford land or a home.

The Prime Minister further noted that under the New Social Housing Programme, homes are being built to a high standard of design and construction, creating safe, hurricane-resilient structures that also uplift the appearance and pride of communities.

“Every one of these houses is a symbol of how we want housing to be done in Jamaica”, he added, “You don’t have to live in run-down buildings. When you build properly and beautifully, it lifts the entire community.”

The Prime Minister announced that the NSHP will be expanded, with increased budgetary support and scaled-up construction.  Over 80 units are currently under construction, with rapid expansion planned for next year.

The Brooks Level Road development, dubbed “The Brook”, was built at a cost of $31.2 million and falls under the Tenement (Big Yard) Upgrading Modality of the NSHP.  This modality focuses on improving shared-yard housing arrangements.   Seven such projects have been completed, with more underway.

“The Brook” comprises three (3), three-bedroom units that will accommodate 12 persons from three families who lost their home in a fire on October 16, 2023.

As of January 30, 2026, a total of 314 housing units or 720 rooms have been completed under the NSHP, benefitting over 1,135 individuals across 57 of Jamaica’s 63 constituencies.

Cabinet has approved the policy framework for the establishment of the One Road Authority (ORA) as an executive agency under the Works portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development (MEGID).

According to Minister with responsibility for Works in MEGID, Hon. Robert Morgan, Cabinet approval for the ORA policy framework was granted last week. Minister Morgan, who was speaking at a Post-Cabinet Briefing on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, explained that the establishment of ORA represents a major governance reform aimed at improving road outcomes across the island through consistent, clear, and accountable standards.

The Minister outlined that one of the primary reasons for the creation of the One Road Authority is the longstanding fragmentation among entities responsible for managing Jamaica’s road network, which has resulted in uneven road quality due to varying standards and quality assurance processes over the years.

He added that the core mandate of ORA is to regulate standards and performance for all roads, while directly implementing works on national main roads.

“In practical terms, ORA will achieve four objectives that we believe the country needs, firstly, it will enforce a single standard for road works across the island ensuring quality is consistent and roads are durable across the country,” he said.

The Minister also noted that ORA will strengthen quality assurance and compliance monitoring to ensure contractors and executing entities are held accountable for meeting required road standards. The Authority will further introduce stronger performance reporting to improve public transparency in delivery standards. For national main roads, ORA will bring greater discipline to planning, procurement, contract management, and maintenance programming.

Minister Morgan emphasized that these measures will help Jamaica move away from the cycle of repeated emergency road patching each year and toward a structured, long-term national programme for road maintenance and rehabilitation.

The Government of Jamaica has commenced road patching works in Kingston under the GO Road Rehabilitation Programme, targeting priority corridors that require immediate repair to improve road safety and driving conditions.
Work has begun in the following areas: Waterloo Road, East Kings House Road, Mandela Highway and several other roads in Kingston and St Andrew.
These initial activities form part of a wider, phased effort to address deteriorated roadway sections, with a focus on areas affected by scouring, potholes, and general surface failure.
“The GO Programme will expand beyond Kingston and move into other parishes in the coming days, as works continue islandwide in a structured rollout aimed at restoring key routes and supporting daily commuting, commerce, and public transportation.” – Robert Nesta Morgan, Minister with Responsibility for Works
Motorists are being asked to exercise caution when travelling through active work zones, obey posted instructions, and expect intermittent delays as crews carry out patching operations.
Further updates on the programme’s rollout schedule and the next areas to be targeted will be provided as works progress.

Cabinet Minister the Hon. Robert Montague on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development (MEGID)  officially handed over the $58 million Torrington Park rehabilitation project to residents today (December 9, 2025), marking a renewed commitment to safety, dignity, and long-term community development.

Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Minister Montague noted that the ceremony marks the culmination of the Government responding effectively and with sensitivity to a critical need of the community.

Minister Montague emphasized that inner-city communities deserve equal celebration for progress and investment.

“This community matters. If we spend the money, we must celebrate it, make the people feel good. These buildings have stood for 30, 40, even 50 years and for too long residents felt forgotten. Today signals a new day. Cutting the ribbon is not the end, it is the beginning of a process leading to dignity, safety, and cooperation”, the Minister stated.

Minister Montague urged the residents to unite through their Citizens’ Association and Neighbourhood Watch, noting that community building requires shared responsibility.

“You must meet the Member of Parliament partway. He has many communities to serve, but when people cry out and their MP brings that cry into the halls of power, results like this happen. The system works when all of us work together”, Minister Montague commented.

The Minister also committed to addressing long-standing land tenure issues, emphasizing that MEGID’s Social Services Branch will return to the community to work with residents on legal and occupancy matters for both the rehabilitated units and the more than 200 surrounding units.

Philip Stephenson, Director of Projects and Technical Services at MEGID addressed the ceremony and highlighted the scope of the works, noting that technical assessments had confirmed structural deterioration.  He noted that Dockswell Construction Ltd, was subsequently engaged to execute urgent works, which began on November 19, 2024.

Upgrades included:

• Reconstruction of a collapsed staircase
• Reinforcement of additional staircases
• Full roof rehabilitation and waterproofing
• Sealing and repainting of moisture-damaged walls
• Installation of water closets
• Concrete repairs and the
• Installation of a new garbage skip to support proper waste management

“Today we celebrate not just construction work, but renewed safety and an improved quality of life”, Mr. Stephenson noted.   Mr. Stephenson thanked the residents for their patience and cooperation throughout the rehabilitation process.

Leader of the Opposition and Member of Parliament for St. Andrew Southern, the Hon. Mark Golding, also attended the ceremony and welcomed the completion of the work.

The Government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development (MEGID), held a high-level meeting with the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches (JUGC) to discuss opportunities for streamlined land titling and the process for adverse possession that continue to affect churches islandwide.

Minister with responsibility for land titling and settlements, Hon. Robert Montague, was joined by senior representatives from the National Land Agency (NLA), and the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport (MCGES), who has oversight for the faith-based institutions.

Minister Montague emphasised the Government’s commitment to resolving longstanding land issues and accelerating the national titling programme as part of wider development goals.

“The Government’s aim is to get titles for 100% of lands, that is why this partnership is critical. Many of our churches have served their communities for generations, and they deserve a clear, affordable and accessible pathway to formal land ownership”, the Minister stated.

Representatives from the NLA delivered a detailed presentation outlining the step-by-step process for securing land titles, highlighting available support systems and clarifying the legal procedures relating to adverse possession. The session included an interactive question-and-answer segment, enabling church leaders to raise specific concerns and receive direct guidance from technical experts.

Minister Montague emphasised that this initiative is a commitment made by the Prime Minister and forms part of the Government’s ongoing land reform and titling strategy, aimed at increasing the number of Jamaicans and community groups with registered and secure property rights.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, Hon. Robert Nesta Morgan, says the World Bank has commended Jamaica for its swift national response following Hurricane Melissa, crediting a proactive contracting strategy that has drawn international recognition.

Speaking yesterday (November 25, 2025) at a seminar hosted by the Incorporated Masterbuilders Association of Jamaica (IMAJ),  Minister Morgan revealed that Jamaica’s practice of engaging contractors before disaster strikes,  a system that is considered routine locally, has been acknowledged as innovative and effective by global partners.

This approach, he said, enabled the country to clear 85% of blocked roads within four to five days after the hurricane, a feat that surprised international observers.

“We tend to be very hard on ourselves.  While we are in the war, we’re just trying to survive. It often takes someone from the outside to say, you’re doing a good job”, the Minister stated.

Minister Morgan further emphasised that the rapid recovery was not the work of government agencies alone, but a collaborative effort involving local contractors, community members, and a large contingent drawn from organisations such as the Incorporated Masterbuilders Association of Jamaica (IMAJ).

He echoed the Prime Minister’s sentiment that “there is no victory in relief” as long as any Jamaican remains in distress. However, he stressed the importance of learning from best practices,  particularly the forward-contracting methodology that allowed contractors to pre-position equipment before the storm.

The Minister added that despite setbacks, including equipment lost to flooding and displaced operators, the national network allowed for swift redeployment of resources across parishes.

“We were able to call on contractors from Clarendon, from St. Thomas, from Kingston, from St Ann to say, our contractors in Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth are not able to function.  Can you send down some trucks”, citing the Catherine Hall clean-up in Montego Bay as an example.

“A lot of the trucks that were cleaning Catherine Hall were not from Montego Bay because a lot of the trucks in Montego Bay were flooded and in some cases the water rose 10 feet. So you had to call people in Kingston who had back hoes, trucks and so on”.

Minister Morgan signaled that Jamaica’s pre-disaster contracting model could become an international export, offering a blueprint for resilience across vulnerable regions.

As he addressed the IMAJ seminar, the Minister  underscored the vital role of clear, fair, and well-managed contracts in disaster recovery and national infrastructure development:

“It’s not just about paying for work. It’s about building trust, reducing disputes, improving timelines, and ensuring that every Jamaican benefits from properly executed works”, the Minister stated

He concluded by reiterating that strong contracting processes, supported by both local experience and international partners,  are key to building a stronger, faster, and more resilient Jamaica.

The Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development has completed rehabilitation works on two apartment buildings at Lot 309 at the Torrington Park Housing Scheme in South St. Andrew.

The project valued at $58 million was completed on November 21, 2025. Rehabilitation works included: 

• Reconstruction of the collapsed staircase
• Retrofitting of other staircases with new structural members 
• Full rehabilitation of leaking/deteriorated roof sections, including waterproofing
• Preparation and repainting of external walls, stairwells, and common areas.
• Replacement of defective water closets and corrective plumbing to eliminate leaks
• Ancillary concrete works (including patching, landings, thresholds) and installation of a garbage skip.

Senior Director of the Technical Services, Projects and Housing Branch in the Ministry, Mr. Kinson Case, says the “rehabilitation works will ensure long-term safety and durability of the structure”.

The rehabilitation of the housing scheme follows concerns regarding deteriorating staircases, structural vibrations and water intrusion, which led to the Ministry undertaking a full engineering review and comprehensive repairs.

During a recent completion walk through of the project, Mr. Case assured residents that “every staircase has now been reinforced, so the Ministry does not expect a recurrence of the previous issues”.

A resident expressed heartfelt appreciation, saying, “Mi glad fi see di change. Di whole place look different now. Government move quick and fix it proper, proper. Mi feel safer when mi a go up di stairs and even mi family more comfortable. Dem deal with it well.”

Rehabilitation works were executed by Doks Well Construction Limited.

Torrington Park Housing Scheme was constructed in the mid-1980s on land formerly occupied by Eventide Home. The development consists of 345 units, 47 of which are apartment blocks.

The Torrington Park Rehabilitation Project forms part of ongoing efforts by the Ministry to address ageing infrastructure across the island and improve living conditions in government-owned housing complexes.

Hon. Robert Nesta Morgan, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, has offered that the One Road Authority, can transform Jamaica’s infrastructure future.

A unified body that will regulate, manage and maintain public roads across the island, this proposal seeks to eliminate decades of confusion, duplication and inconsistent standards that have long affected citizens and contractors alike.

The proposal was outlined today (November 25, 2025), by Minister Morgan, during his address at a seminar hosted by the Incorporated Masterbuilders Association of Jamaica (IMAJ), at the Jamaica Conference Centre.

“Jamaicans don’t care who owns the road, they just want the road fixed,” Minister Morgan  said. “This proposal is not about taking power from local entities.  It is about empowering citizens by giving them a system that is clear, responsive and accountable.”

Minister Morgan noted that Jamaica has approximately 27,000 kilometers of roads, but only 5,000 kilometers fall under the direct responsibility of the  National Works Agency (NWA).   The remaining 22,000 kilometers are divided among Municipal Corporations, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA),  private developers, and in many cases,  what he called “orphaned roads”, which are roads that belong to no specific authority.

This fragmentation, he explained,  results in inconsistent standards, unclear lines of responsibility, and chronic delays in maintenance.

“It cannot be that one contractor in St. Thomas fixes a road to one standard  and another contractor in St Mary fixes a similar road to a completely different standard”, he said.  “To streamline planning and maintenance we must first know exactly how many roads we have, and the condition and history of each one”.

The proposed One Road Authority would:

• Create a single regulatory framework to govern all roads — farm roads, municipal roads, main roads, and orphaned roads.
• Establish uniform construction and maintenance standards, ensuring consistent quality across parishes and contractors.
• Improve planning through accurate road mapping, using GIS and other methods to track road age, construction method and expected lifespan.
• Eliminate duplication and accelerate project delivery, enabling better budgeting, scheduling and maintenance planning.

Minister Morgan highlighted lessons from the SPARK (Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network) Programme, which requires that each SPARK road must last at least 10 years.

“That allows us to plan and budget properly”, he noted.  “If we know a road will need milling and paving in six years, we can schedule it.  But we cannot do that now, because in many cases, there is no reliable record of when a road was last repaired or what materials were used”.

Next Steps: National Consultation
Minister Morgan emphasised that the One Road Authority initiative is currently in the consultation phase. Discussions will be held with the Masterbuilders Association, municipal corporations and other key stakeholders, to ensure the final framework is collaborative, practical and nationally supported.   He stressed that above all, the initiative is designed to improve the everyday lives of Jamaicans.

“At its core, the One Road Authority is about solving a simple problem…ensuring that every Jamaican can travel to work, school or home, on a safe, reliable road, no  matter who built it, who owns it, or who is supposed to fix it”, he said.

The Government of Jamaica has intensified recovery efforts in the flood-affected communities of Catherine Hall  and West Green in Montego Bay, following severe damage caused by Hurricane Melissa.

Minister with responsibility for Works, in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, Hon. Robert Nesta Morgan,  who visited the area today (November 14, 2025), underscored the scale and urgency of the operation, noting that the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has already removed over 700 truckloads of solid waste to restore public safety.

Minister Morgan toured the affected areas with Hon. Dr. Andrew Wheatley, Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister; Councillor Richard Vernon, Mayor of the Montego Bay Municipal Corporation; Mr. Audley Gordon, Executive Director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA); and representatives from the National Works Agency.

“The Prime Minister has assigned Dr. Wheatley and me to work closely with the NSWMA, the municipality, and residents to help return these communities to normalcy. This is a critical task, and we are committed to restoring safe living conditions as quickly as possible,” he noted.

He added that the Government has directed the municipality, councillors, and the NSWMA to mobilise community labour, supported by equipment and water trucks from surrounding areas, to accelerate the cleanup.

Dr. Wheatley, describing the extent of the devastation, noted that floodwaters rose as high as 10 feet, destroying furniture, clothing, roofing, and other household items.

“Our first priority is public health and safety,” he stated. “Over the next few days, we will intensify cleanup efforts, removing debris, damaged furniture, and mud from walkways and homes. This is a necessary step toward restoring dignity and stability to the families who have suffered so greatly.”

Meanwhile, NSWMA Executive Director Audley Gordon confirmed that a new phase of the operation will begin tonight.

“We’re waiting for traffic to ease so we can move in with full force. We thank the residents for their patience. We are well ahead of where we were a week ago, and we will not stop until the job is complete”, he stated.

The Government is urging residents to exercise caution and cooperate with cleanup teams as restoration efforts progress.

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Troy Bridge in Southern Trelawny, which is currently under construction, has remained structurally sound despite the catastrophic flooding and hurricane-force winds brought by Hurricane Melissa.

During a tour of Southern Trelawny on Friday (November 7), Hon. Robert Nesta Morgan, Minister with Responsibility for Works in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development said this is an example of building for resilience.

“The Troy Bridge sustained significant water strength during the passage of Hurricane Melissa. But as you can also see, the bridge has stood up as strong as it was before the hurricane came. This is an example of building for resilience.”

He noted that while the surrounding area suffered heavy erosion and geographical changes due to the hurricane, the bridge remained unshaken, a testament to the quality of its design, engineering, and execution.

“We’re building for significant weather events. The entire section around the Troy Bridge has changed geographically, but the bridge has remained firm and strong. We’re very happy and very proud about the design, the engineering, and the execution of the plan,” he added.

Constructed at a cost of $231 million, the Troy Bridge project is now 80 percent complete. Once finished, the bridge will reconnect communities in Trelawny, Manchester, and St. Elizabeth that were cut off following the collapse of the original 19th-century structure during Tropical Storm Grace in August 2021.

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