Public meetings to discuss Shared Community Bill

LAWMAKERS have acknowledged that many Jamaicans who could be affected by the proposed Shared Community Bill may not fully understand its implications, prompting calls for the legislation to be explained in language ordinary homeowners can follow.

The proposal was made by Member of Parliament for St Andrew South Eastern Julian Robinson, who last Thursday urged the committee examining the legislation to go beyond inviting written submissions and organise an online public education session to spell out the Bill’s main provisions and what they could mean for residents of gated communities.

The joint select committee, chaired by Robert Montague, subsequently agreed to advertise for public submissions, hold a town hall meeting with both in-person and online participation, and arrange a visit to an existing shared community as part of its review of the proposed Registration (Shared Community) Bill, 2026.