PNP plans to halt Portmore’s march to parish status

The opposition People’s National Party (PNP) does not believe that Portmore will get parish status before the country holds its next general election, which is constitutionally due in 2025.

PNP General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell cited two reasons for the party’s doubts, including ambitiously declaring a win at the polls for the PNP, which would kill the thought.

Speaking with senior journalists at a Gleaner Editors’ Forum last week, Campbell said the other reason was the contentious matter of boundaries for the would-be 15th parish.

There are also opposing views as to whether the parish should have a directly elected mayor, a unique feature of the current municipality with the only mayoral election in the island.

“What they have proposed for the parish of Portmore will see them incorporating areas outside of what is the now Portmore,” Campbell said, noting that this would, in turn, affect existing constituency boundaries.

He said it was highly improbable that the kinks would be ironed out before the next general election.

“So I don’t anticipate it will go too far until after the general election. We intend to win the general election; therefore, Portmore will remain a municipality and will get the necessary things the people are looking for over there,” Campbell said.

He said that nevertheless, the PNP would also ensure that a long-awaited public hospital and other services are delivered despite not achieving parish status.

The House of Representatives approved the motion to make Portmore the 15th parish in February of this year.

The vote came after St Catherine South Central Member of Parliament Dr Andrew Wheatley closed the debate on a report of the Joint Select Committee appointed to deliberate over the motion.

A draft bill to amend the Counties and Parishes Act of 1867 to make Portmore Jamaica’s 15th parish has not yet been tabled and debated.

Wheatley, who chaired the committee, argued that it was time for the residents of Portmore to be given their own parish.

He acknowledged that there was need for an upgrade of the infrastructure and said the new parish would have its own hospital and would see major upgrading of roads.

Portmore Mayor Leon Thomas has complained that the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development has been slow in providing him with an update about the progress to transition Portmore and the expansion of the proposed parish boundaries.

The municipal corporation has argued that there has not been enough consultations with residents and key stakeholders on the proposed change.

Attempts by The Gleaner to speak with Wheatley proved futile as repeated calls to his cell phone went to voicemail.

andre.williams@gleanerjm.com