Thirty-one residents of five land settlement schemes in St. Thomas were on May 28 presented with certificates of titles under the Government's Land Settlement Programme.

Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Roger Clarke, made the presentation to the residents from Law River, Spring Pen, Lloyds, Georgia, and Golden Valley at the Anglican Church Hall in Morant Bay.

Mr. Clarke, in his remarks, noted that the Land Settlement Programme, which was introduced in 2006, "was about empowering people".

He said he has always been moved by the emotions expressed by beneficiaries when they receive their titles. "It is for that reason why I will do everything to ensure that people get their land titles," he said.

Minister Clarke noted that many more land titles could have been distributed in the parish by the National Land Agency (NLA), but the agency was restrained by probate issues.

"I speak specifically of Spring Pen, Lloyds, Golden Valley and Georgia. St. Thomas has some of the older land settlement schemes, but many of the original allottees have died and the NLA is working with the various estates to effect transfers to bonafide next of kin and to speed along the process," he said.

In the meantime, the minister indicated that the NLA will continue to carry out surveys in several land settlement areas across the island and work with the various local planning authorities to obtain the necessary subdivision approvals so that persons could receive their land titles.