How Squatters Squat

A particular lawyer did a great deal of land
transfers.

As the majority of lawyers he held client's
money. A great deal of money.

He put this money into Century National
where he got 24% interest.

Until Century collapsed taking all that money
with it.

This lawyer treaded water a bit of time, robbing
Peter to pay Paul.

He cut up the building he owned hoping to sell
bits of it to make up the shortfall before the
wolf was at the door, but alas, the wolf was
there before he could get his finances together
and he went to prison where he died.

One section of his building was sold for 1/2
million less than he had wanted, the other
piece was rented but the business failed and
it was shortly left vacant.

His family didn't see any sense in paying the
enormous sums of Death Duty and then transfering
the property to their names as it was not all
that valuable.

So they hesitated.

After two years when it seemed nothing was
happening, squatters moved in.

The land titles have not been altered since
1958. It would be evident, if there was a
functioning agency, that the property has
been abandoned.

In real countries, abandoned property escheats
either to the Crown or the Government.

In Jamaica, it sits.
It sits until captured.

Some people strip a building pretty bare.
Others set up residence.

Often an entreprenuer claims ownership and
charges rental on property he doesn't own.

So a large lawyer's chambers is now a squatter
settlement and whatever value it might have
had ten years ago, it values nothing today.

This is just one example in central Kingston
of how 'squatters' gain access.

The interesting factor here is that this kind
of property is often sold in London Pubs to
fools who lose their life trying to gain
control of their property.