When building houses that hard-working Jamaicans can afford, takes too long, people squat just to put a roof over their heads. That is the raw truth of the situation.

The history of land dispossession matters, but the everyday reality right now is simple. Hard-working people want a home they can afford.

I urge our Parish Councils to take a supportive, development-first approach. Sit down with developers, work out the plans, and approve projects so we can get houses on the market. We cannot complain about a lack of housing while holding back the projects that build them.

The National Housing Trust (NHT), the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ), and private developers must work together, build affordable homes, and deliver them to our people.