Realty Check

BY JULIAN RICHARDSON Assistant business co-ordinator richardsonj@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, March 07, 2010

LOCAL engineers are exploring a number of alternative building materials which could make housing solutions more affordable in Jamaica.
The National Housing Trust lends a maximum of $3.5 million to individual borrowers and two persons can combine for a loan for a maximum of $7 million. But [...]

The Air Jamaica building, corporate head-quarters for the national carrier, is on the market for sale, as the airline counts down to a final agreement with prospective buyer Caribbean Airlines of Trinidad.

Sale of the five-storey 32,802-square foot building, located on Harbour Street and overlooking the Kingston waterfront, was expected.

BY TANESHA MUNDLE Observer staff reporter mundlet@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, March 04, 2010
A pregnant former National Housing Trust (NHT) employee, who was allegedly involved in a housing racket which defrauded persons of about $10 million, was on Tuesday remanded in custody after her bail was revoked in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court.
The accused, Stacy-Ann Garvey, also known [...]

Thursday, February 18, 2010
OSWALD James, the Kingston attorney accused of cheating a client of $25 million in a real estate deal, will return to the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court to answer fraud charges on April 22.
The attorney, who was arrested last year August 14 by Fraud Squad detectives, had his bail extended Tuesday when [...]

BY CLAUDIENNE EDWARDS Observer writer edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, February 11, 2010

KINGSTON Mayor Desmond McKenzie has issued a warning to developers that the integrity of the council of the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) would not be compromised by approving buildings that were not in compliance with the building codes.
According to McKenzie, some developers are of the [...]

JIS
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
GROUND has been broken for some 288 serviced lots under the Sugar Workers Housing Programme in Bounty Hall, Trelawny.
Some 150 serviced lots are to be provided for workers on the Hampden Estate in the parish, while the remainder will be sold on the open market.

The project forms part of a Memorandum of [...]

KINGSTON (JIS):
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
“We have listened and we have heard,” was Prime Minister Bruce Golding’s response to public criticism of the tax package announced in the House of Representatives, last week Thursday.

In a national broadcast Wednesday night (December 23), Mr. Golding said, “the response from the people of Jamaica has been loud and profound.”

BY HORACE HINES Observer West reporter hinesh@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, December 17, 2009
MONTEGO BAY, St James–Scores of squatters in Norwood Pen and Paradise Pen are fearful of being bulldozed out of their homes following last week’s serving of demolition notices– signed by the Housing Agency of Jamaica Limited on behalf of the Ministry of Housing– on some of [...]

Patrick Foster
Thursday, December 17, 2009
GOVERNMENT is to replace Earl Samuels as managing director of the National Housing Trust (NHT) next January, in a major shake-up at the island’s premier housing organisation.
Samuels’ contract expires on December 31, and according to NHT Chairman Howard Mitchell it will not be renewed as the organisation is embarking on a [...]

Published: Friday | December 18, 2009
Sabrina Gordon, Business Reporter
Barbican Estates Limited (BEL), a nascent company, has chosen as its first venture the development of new commercial space in the busy and often congested Barbican Square, where commerce, on the face, of it is thriving.

On a 1.13-acre property, Barbican Estates will, within weeks, begin construction of [...]