On the Corner: In East Portland | New MP urged to spark economic revival

East Portland constituents in the Damion Crawford camp are demanding an economic revival for the mainly farming region, and they want a surge in jobs and road improvement to lead that transformation.

“We facing a warm time as farmers,” lamented Delroy Deacon, citing challenges to the agriculture sector, among other concerns.

“We need a training centre for the young people. The Bread Lane road needs to be fixed, as well as the farm roads. We facing a warm time as farmers,” he said, recalling that during the Michael Manley years, trade training centres were monuments in many constituencies.

According to Deacon, HEART alone could not contain the number of persons who needed to be trained. The closure of the factory at Boundbrook, he said, spelt a death knell for many persons needing jobs.

“So we don’t want no catch round here. We want work, education and skill,” said Deacon, a farmer, during a Gleaner On the Corner forum in East Portland recently.

Jamar Francis, or ‘Jazzy J’, is a singjay from Breastworks in the constituency.

“I would like to see better roads. We want a community centre, and I really want to see some plan where every little youth who want a job have something to do, you know,” he told The Sunday Gleaner during a tour of sections of the constituency recently.

“Jobs are short here, and many young people are here with skills, but there is nothing to do. We just sit down here, digging out our hand middle. We want work; we are not looking for a handout,” he said proudly, adding that many young persons have started their own businesses, searching for opportunities themselves.

Hansonetta Downer said that road improvement would be a good start to change the fortunes of East Portland.

“What we need is education for the youths. There are dropouts, and we need to help them find their footing. It’s mostly the boys who are dropping out. They need help through HEART,” she said.

Latoya Hendricks of Bread Lane said that garbage collection was a big problem for residents.

“Most times, we have to call and complain to the parish council and they come, and then after that, it goes right back to what it was. It’s just disrespectful to people,” she bemoaned.

Samuel Lamont had a lot to say – and that he did.

He described himself as chief executive of ReggaeLand Sports, Music and Art Academy, a project sponsored by the International Olympic Committee, he said.

“Dr (Lynvale) Bloomfield did a lot of rehabilitation work to roads, especially in the Rio Grande Valley. He had a lot of challenges, but he was not able to get the funding for many projects that have been proposed,” he stated, referring to the political representation given by the member of parliament who was murdered at his Passley Gardens home on February 2.

ROAD REHABILITATION HAMPERED

Lamont told The Sunday Gleaner that road rehabilitation was hampered by heavy rainfall and the hilly terrain. He said sections of the parish were devastated by Hurricane Allen in 1980 and eight years later by Gilbert in 1988.

“Damion Crawford has youth, knowledge, and energy on his side. He will work along with us to address the issues of education. He understands that, and that’s why the constituency needs him,” he said.

Stacy McKoy-Bryan is from Free School in the constituency, and water shortages, deplorable roads, and unemployment are her most pressing problems.

Colin Bell of Fairy Hill Estate said Navy Island is the biggest crowd-puller the parish has. He wants it developed into a reggae park where marijuana usage is legalised, and visitors and locals alike can rock to the rhythms of Jamaica’s iconic musicians and artistes.

“Hotels in the constituency should be encouraged to name suites after icons Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Carlene Davis, etc, Buju Banton restaurant, etc. Those should become major attractions,” he told this newspaper, hoping that Crawford’s experience as a former junior minister for tourism and entertainment would give him a leg-up in promoting those industries.

Bell said there was great potential for gastronomy tourism in the parish, but the crater-filled thoroughfare from St Thomas into Portland needs to be overhauled. He is urging the Government to hold to its promise of rolling out $8.4-billion Southern Coastal Highway project from Harbour View to Port Antonio by year end. The project will include rehabilitation of 93 kilometres of roadway from Yallahs Bridge in St Thomas to Port Antonio, Portland.

Bell also believes it’s full time that the constituency has its representative on the front benches in Parliament.

Dowen Fuller of Comfort Castle said he believes Crawford can help to trigger a paradigm shift in thinking.

“There is a lot of talent in the constituency, but the mindset change that is required to tap into that talent is critical. He can get the youth to buy into that vision. We are not dependent on fast food or soda around here,” he said.

erica.virtue@gleanerjm.com