Thomas will remain Portmore's mayor 'til local gov't elections
Published:Tuesday | April 29, 2014 | 12:00 AM
IT APPEARS that Leon Thomas, the acting mayor of Portmore, will remain in that position until local government elections due next year.
"There is a concurrence between the Government and the Opposition that, given that the local elections are due in less than a year, it would not be wise or prudent to spend almost $50 million to keep a by-election, which cost is going to be replicated in local government elections in less than 11 months," Fitz Jackson, the member of parliament for South St Catherine, one of the three constituencies that make up Portmore, told The Gleaner.
"It would be in order for the necessary amendments to be made to the law to allow for the vacant position to remain an acting one, given that the majority of the tenure has already been served by the acting mayor," Jackson said.
Dr Horace Chang, general secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), referred The Gleaner to party leader Andrew Holness, saying the party was in "active discussions" on the matter.
Holness said local government spokesman Desmond McKenzie would speak on the matter, but calls to his cellphone yesterday went unanswered.
Meanwhile, the Municipalities Act, which governs the operation of the Portmore municipality, states that in the absence or incapacity of the mayor, the deputy mayor shall exercise the powers and duties of the mayor for not more than six months of the casual vacancy having been entered on the minutes of the council.
Jackson said that it was being contemplated that the act be amended to allow the acting mayor to complete the term in a situation where less than half is remaining to be served.
Thomas has been serving since October 2013 when Mayor George Lee died.
Jackson said he has consulted with the leadership of the various community associations in Portmore and "there is concurrence for such adjustments to be made".
Absurdity
He said the associations have also suggested that the law be further amended to correct what many regard as an absurdity, which now prevents two councillors from sitting at the Portmore Municipal Council.
Michael Edwards, of the Greater Portmore North Division, and Claude Hamilton, of the Portmore Pines Division, have been unable to sit at the Portmore Council because of the realignment of electoral boundaries in St Catherine.
"The amendment would give effect that where the majority of the voters registered to vote in the division are within the Portmore boundaries, the councillors elected would sit in the Portmore municipality with all privileges and rights enjoyed by the Portmore councillors," Jackson said.
The law at present states the municipality shall consist of councillors who represent electoral divisions that fall entirely within the boundaries of the municipality.