Leasing of reserved railway lands in Portmore sparks concerns
Published:Friday | June 7, 2024 | 12:11 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
Opposition Spokesman on Transport Mikael Phillips is suggesting that an audit be done on lands held owned by the Railway Corporation of Jamaica, following revelations that several acres originally reserved for rail service expansion in Greater Portmore have been leased to private interests.
St Catherine Southern Member of Parliament Fitz Jackson disclosed that residents raised concerns with him about the land being used for parking trucks, a garage, a building aggregate business, and shops, causing noise and dust nuisances and an unsightly ambiance in their community.
Jackson explained that the land, which was kept vacant for more than 25 years for potential rail service expansion, was leased to private interests without consultation.
“Out of the blue, without consultation with the political directorate, they proceeded to give leases to selected persons to put up their shops, some time last year,” Jackson told The Gleaner.
He added that, upon reaching out to the municipal authority, he learned that no permission had been granted for these businesses.
He said that he also reached out to the Railway Corporation of Jamaica chairman, who said that, as a corporate entity, it does not require permission to lease the land.
Phillips, who visited the site on Wednesday along with Jackson and the Transport Minister Daryl Vaz, insisted that the board of the Railway Corporation of Jamaica needs to be more mindful of whom it leases land to and for what purposes.
“This is one the board should not agree on in a residential area like this. The question is, if this is happening here in Portmore, what has happened with the rest of Railway Corporation lands right across the country? Consultation should have been had with the municipal council,” Phillips declared.
He further emphasised: “They are one of the agencies of government that have a large stock of lands. So I will hasten to say that maybe an audit needs to be done on the lands under the purview of the Railway Corporation of Jamaica.”
Transport Minister Daryl Vaz instructed the municipal authority to write to the Railway Corporation of Jamaica, registering its discontent with what the land is used for, and then refer the documents to him for further action.
Attempts by The Gleaner to reach Railway Corporation of Jamaica Chairman Ryan Parkes for comment were unsuccessful.