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LITTLE LONDON, Westmoreland - Saying the Government cannot afford to buy land at the centre of a bitter dispute in Little Bay, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has signalled to those occupying the property illegally that they need to think about moving.He said the courts have ruled that the residents are unable to claim adverse possession of the land and the Government is unable to make any decisions outside of the court's ruling. In trying to find a solution, he said, the Government had made an offer to purchase the property, but was unable to afford it. The land in question is more than 800 acres of prime beachfront property."We couldn't afford it. That is just not possible with the budget and all the other things. The value of the property is high. So there is the option of getting a piece of the property or a small area to relocate," said Holness. "The real issue now is whether or not the persons who are present on the land would be willing to relocate."While issuing a stern warning that his Administration will never allow property rights to be compromised, the prime minister said this does not mean the Government is not sympathetic to the plight of the ordinary Jamaican who wants a piece of land to call his own."That is not something that a Government must ignore, but disorderly land settlement must never be countenanced because all it means... is that those who are politically connected, those who know people, those who know bad man and can use force, they are the ones who are going to get the land and the average person will only be able to look on and not be a part of it," said the prime minister."So there has to be a proper, regulated, well-thought-out process of settlement, and that is what this Government is doing," added Holness.He said he has asked the Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ), the National Land Agency (NLA), and other agencies with land in the area to give him an update on their portfolios, information needed to facilitate the development of housing solutions. However, the prime minister warned that this does not give the green light to people to settle on land that is not theirs.He said, when completed, the houses will be made available through the regular channels of the National Housing Trust (NHT).Holness was speaking during the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a new police station in Little London. During his presentation several residents of Little Bay and Brighton, who are at the centre of a land dispute in those communities, converged on the other side of the road, listening attentively. The informal settlers were there to appeal to the prime minister to intervene in the dispute with the land owner who lives overseas.A day earlier, residents, with gasoline in hand and roads blocked, resisted attempts to bulldoze their structures. The Little London police intervened and no property was damaged.On Thursday, the People's National Party (PNP) joined calls for the Government to intervene in the long-running land dispute."Prime Minister Holness must move with urgency to protect the legitimate interests of residents of Little Bay who are threatened with imminent forcible eviction, even though some of them have lived there for upwards of 50 years," said PNP President Mark Golding.Following Thursday's ground-breaking ceremony, Holness met with the disgruntled residents, assuring them that, since 2012, the matter has been examined by various government ministers.