Ground was broken for the Green Pond Housing Development in Montego Bay on November 4, 2015.

The Development which is aimed at satisfying the growing housing needs of low to middle income earners in the wider Montego Bay area and its environs will be marketed under the Open Market System.

Scope of works for the Project includes the provision of infrastructure such as paved roads, portable water supply, sewage disposal and proper drainage infrastructure. Access to portable water and sewage disposal will be made available via a central sewage treatment facility at Bogue in Montego Bay.

In speaking to the matter of increased home ownership, Minister without portfolio in charge of Housing, Hon. Dr. Morais Guy said that within the past year the Ministry had been intensely at work to achieve this objective. “ In undertaking this development, we will cater to the needs of the working class, as units will range from $5.72M for one bedroom units to $8.91M for two bedroom units,” the Minister said.

Continuing, he said, “The Ministry is resolute in fulfilling one of its mandates in providing affordable, quality housing to all Jamaicans. In an effort to fast track the delivery of housing solutions to eligible persons in NHT’s 1% and 3% income categories, plans are afoot to commence construction of 2, 760 residential serviced lots by March 2016 and deliver 1,492 residential serviced lots by September 2016 under the recently announced Low Income Housing Programme of the government – a partnership among the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, the NHT and HAJ to fast track housing solutions.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Audrey Sewell pointed to the advantage of having the Housing Development near to schools. Said she, “It is instructive to note that the Development will be adjacent to the Green Pond Group of Schools consisting of a basic, primary and high. This model of development bodes well for our society as this means that persons will have ready access to another basic human right – that of education.”

Also speaking at the ceremony were, Councillor Glendon Harris, Mayor of Montego Bay; Mr. Karl Bennett, Managing Director of the Housing Agency of Jamaica; Mr. Michael Eddy, Senior VP, Herzog International, contractor for the Project; Mr. Lloyd B Smith, MP for the area and Dr. Horace Chang, Opposition spokesman on Housing.