Barita Investments Limited (BIL) is embarking on the expansion of real estate investment activities and will be targeting two real estate development starts in 2026.

The disclosure came from CEO Ramon Small-Ferguson during the investment firm’s earnings call on Thursday, August 28, 2025.

“We have made some material advances in progressing our strategy on the real estate front to now a development phase,” said Small-Ferguson during the meeting.

The CEO highlighted that the company has completed some real estate acquisitions and has been realising gains from revaluation. At the same time, he said, Barita has been “cultivating our talent internally to manage” the financial institution’s real estate portfolio and has so far identified someone to lead that business line.

BIL’s real estate acquisitions include the 286-acre Reggae Beach in St Mary, accomplished in 2022, Eden Gardens in the Corporate Area, and a 100-acre property near Mammee Bay in St Ann. In 2024, the company entered into a joint venture arrangement with NCB Financial Group and the Government of Jamaica, through the Factories Corporation of Jamaica, to construct the Boundbrook Urban Centre, a commercial and industrial hub in Port Antonio, Portland.

“We have progressed significantly with development plans associated with several parcels of real estate. So, it’s an expectation that the 2026 financial year will be marked by…at least two developments commencing,” Small-Ferguson outlined.

When asked about further updates on the stage of real estate investments and when shareholders can expect to see returns, the CEO clarified that Barita is now in the pre-development or planning phase. This post-acquisition phase is complex as it involves getting the proper approvals, securing the right talent to execute the real estate development projects, and securing funding for the construction phase.

Barita currently has eight properties in its real estate portfolio. “We expect major activities in relation to two [properties] and we have another two that, I think, by the tail end of next year we will have concluded…what’s going to happen,” he remarked.