For people already living on the Easington lands in St Thomas, the next step toward owning the ground under their feet is a sealed envelope, and the deadline is next Friday.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, 6 November 2026
A path from occupancy to ownership
The St Thomas Municipal Corporation is selling residential house lots on its property at Easington, near Yallahs, and the Jamaica Information Service has reported that current occupants as well as members of the public have been invited to apply. Bids must be in by 11 a.m. on Friday 13 November, with the official opening of offers set for 11:15 a.m. on Friday 27 November in the Corporation’s council room in Morant Bay.
The aim, as set out by the Corporation, is to bring order and structure to land occupancy on the roughly 100 acre holding while giving eligible residents who already live there a chance to obtain legal ownership, with flexible payment options including structured payment plans.
What the process looks like
Applicants were required to buy a non refundable information package for J$15,000 from the Corporation’s offices at 11 Church Street, Morant Bay, with packages available from 28 September to 27 October. Bids go in sealed and labelled envelopes with the completed form and supporting documents. Up to five representatives of applicants may observe the opening.
After the envelopes are opened, an evaluation committee assesses the offers against set criteria. A recommended list then goes to the Minister with responsibility for land titling and settlements for final approval, after which the National Land Agency takes over the remaining stages with each successful applicant.
Why it matters beyond one hillside
Our cartoon shows the quiet drama of the week ahead: families leaving the zinc roof yards they already know, each holding a BID envelope and walking toward a TITLE that is still just out of reach. Across Jamaica, thousands of households live on land they do not legally own. A formal route from occupancy to title is rare, and when one opens, the queue forms quickly.
St Thomas itself has become a busier property corridor as road and water works pull more housing and commuting into the parish. A managed sale that prefers people already on the ground is one way a parish tries to keep that growth from becoming another scramble.
If you already bought a package
Check that your envelope is sealed, labelled and complete, and get it to the Corporation before 11 a.m. next Friday. Keep a copy of everything you submit. If you are an existing occupant who has not yet applied, ask the Corporation directly whether any late route remains open, because the published package window has already closed.
One sealed envelope will not fix Jamaica’s title gap, but for the families already on that hillside it may finally put their name on the ground they stand on.
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