Tips & Tricks You Should Know

$1 LEASE

You may have seen some ominous signs like these around, but threatening as they appear, they are not enough to protect your property especially if you are an absentee owner.

Did you know, under the Registration of Titles Act in Jamaica, a squatter can claim a property by adverse possession if they can prove they have occupied—in an undisturbed manner—private property for more that 12 years or government land for more that 60 years? To avoid losing your land to a squatter, sign a lease agreement, even for a nominal fee as ridiculous as $1 per year with the persons living on your land to ensure you keep the rights to your land. In other words, a lease agreement defines them as a tenant, not a squatter. If they are not a squatter, they can’t claim your land by adverse possession.

GOT UNCONDITIONAL LANDING?

Want to avoid the long visitor lines when arriving at immigration in Jamaica? Get your foreign passport stamped with “Unconditional Landing” and proceed to speedier kiosk or counter processing.

Anyone of Jamaican descent or citizenship qualifies for this seal, which allows you to also enter the country on a one-way ticket without a Jamaican passport or stay in the country for an unlimited time without needing to obtain an extension of stay permit from Immigration.

If you don’t have a Jamaican passport, getting your Unconditional Landing is the way to go. It’s convenient, cost-effective and must be renewed whenever you get a new passport. Visit www.pica.gov.jm for costs and application details.

MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS REWARDS

Traveling to Jamaica for vacation or business?

Did you know that all JN Group members are eligible to participate in JN Rewards and get discounts of up to 50 percent on products and services across Jamaica and the other countries where JN operates? JN Members are entitled to a discount whenever they use their JN Bank debit card, JN Bank VISA credit card, JN Money card or JN Individual Retirement Scheme card at a JN Rewards Partner. Get discounts at hotels in Jamaica including the Jamaica Pegasus, Courtleigh, Altamount West and 13 other hotels or on car rentals from Island Car Rentals and Hertz Jamaica and at tours and attractions like Dolphin Cove. JN Rewards benefits those in Jamaica and those visiting Jamaica. JNRewards.com has the full list of participating merchants.

FORGET THE BARREL, SHOP ONLINE

Sending food or household supplies to family and friends in Jamaica is now a click away through the online grocery store Shopsampars.com.

As you would on Amazon or any other online store, purchases on www. shopsampars.com are made with most major credit cards. They also accept Scotia debit card and payments via JN LIVE for JN members. Items can be picked up in store or delivered anywhere in Jamaica for a fraction of the cost of sending a barrel. Imagine the savings in time and money? Your family will thank you for one less day at the wharf attempting to clear a barrel. Shopsampars.com also ships outside of Jamaica so you can order your Jamaican supplies and have them delivered wherever you are.

BUILT-IN PEACE OF MIND

It doesn’t have to take a miracle to build a house in Jamaica on time, in budget, and to specifications.

If you can’t be on site to oversee and manage the process, the Diaspora Home Building Service (DHBS) developed by the Jamaica Mortgage Bank is designed to stand in the gap for you and help you build in peace. Offering a full range of services, they assist from Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to project implementation and handing over. Based on your needs, they can provide referral to a diverse panel of vetted professionals; coordination of service delivery between you and the professional; contract supervision between you and professional and project implementation/ management. Learn more about how this service works at https://www.jmb.gov.jm/products/diaspora-project-management/