‘It’s all a hoax’

Slamming the Government’s thrust to establish Portmore into a parish as “nonsensical”, the municipality’s mayor, Leon Thomas, says the move is merely an attempt to gain control of the St Catherine Municipal Corporation.

But government member of parliament for St Catherine South Central, Dr Andrew Wheatley, who chaired the joint select committee that examined the motion, has argued that the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is attempting to fulfil a campaign promise ahead of the 2007 general election.

The Lower House on Tuesday approved the motion to establish Portmore as the country’s 15th parish, the first of several steps in separating it from St Catherine, the second most populous parish in the island.

No boundaries have been defined for the potential parish – an issue Thomas said is likely to usher in a new and disorienting phase in the already controversial matter.

“The boundaries are not clearly defined up to now. ... We don’t have no knowledge at all of what the parish make-up will be,” Thomas argued in a Gleaner interview on Wednesday.

He stressed that Portmore lacked the necessary infrastructure for parish status, arguing that the municipality’s income and, in particular, its Parochial Revenue Fund was under threat.

“It is more like a political ploy where they want to [divide] St Catherine Parish Council. The councillors from Portmore would no longer fall under that umbrella so they would gain the majority,” the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) mayor said.

The PNP currently holds a one-seat majority in the 41-division municipal corporation, where Portmore divisions account for 12. Ten of those are held by PNP councillors.

A split would, therefore, mean that the JLP gains control of St Catherine 18 to 11.

Political pundits in some quarters have argued that JLP control of St Catherine would afford, among other things, quicker building approval times for developers, as Prime Minister Andrew Holness pushes for a construction boom.

More houses, coupled with increasing jobs coming from the sector, are expected to boost the Government’s favourability amid a slump in the RJRGLEANER Group-commissioned Don Anderson poll released last September.

In March last year, Holness told Parliament that major infrastructure upgrades were on the table for the island’s largest residential community with a population of more than 270,000.

At that time, he announced plans to develop a Climate Park.

Months later in May, the Government announced plans to develop an access road to facilitate easier entry into and exit out of Portmore via the Mandela Highway.

This is expected to be done in two phases, including a 1.7-kilometre-long, two-lane ramp from Mandela Highway to George Lee Boulevard.

Rehabilitation works are also scheduled for several communities across the municipality, including the Hellshire main road.

“That was a concern that was raised during the consultation where the citizens were a bit concerned as it relates to the infrastructure within Portmore and also getting into Portmore,” Wheatley told The Gleaner back in November.

At that time, he said plans were also being made to dualise Hellshire main road to “build out the economy of Portmore” through ecotourism.

“It is looking good for Portmore. We anticipate that very shortly we will be bringing a bill to Parliament to fully establish Portmore and at the same time outlining the boundary of Portmore as well,” he said then.

The St Catherine South Central MP dismissed arguments that the push by the Government for Portmore to attain parish status is political.

“It’s about a commitment that was given some time ago. The process started under the PNP administration with the establishment of the municipality of Portmore in 2003. What we’re doing is completing that process,” he said, adding that former Prime Minister Bruce Golding committed to the process in 2007.

Wheatley said Holness also committed to the change in 2020 and is now seeking to fulfil it.

He said the Government was given a “clear mandate” following that election, boasting that the JLP now controls two of three constituencies in Portmore.

Added to that, he said a review of the voter turnout for that election will show that the PNP only managed to outperform the JLP in two of the 12 divisions.

“So this is not about politics. It’s about giving the people full autonomy. It was a commitment given and it is a commitment we are going to keep,” he said.

SUFFERING FROM BUYER’S REMORSE

Opposition St Catherine South Member of Parliament Fitz Jackson has argued, however, that electors in the municipality are suffering from buyers’ remorse and will not replicate the results of 2020 in the local government elections that have been pushed back to 2023.

He said the push to change Portmore’s status will have “zero” impact on voters.

“If there is any impact it will be negative. The processes gone through by the Government have demonstrated that the Government is attempting to take the voters for a fool by tagging on a designation on them called parish with no meaningful change at all,” he said.

He said this became evident through the presentations of stakeholders during the consultation phase of the joint select committee.

“All of them have appeared before the committee and have explicitly stated that the changes from municipality to parish will not change their agenda ... . The Ministry of Local Government’s finance director has said before the committee of Parliament that it will not result in any increased revenue nor will it result in any decrease in revenue. In other words, it has zero impact. It’s all a hoax,” Jackson insisted.

“They are aware that the Government is seeking to establish a parish before even determining what the boundaries are going to be. Residents are sceptical because the Government seems to be hiding their real agenda.”

Opposition Leader Mark Golding has called for a referendum on the matter, arguing that residents must decide on the community’s future.

“This move must serve the people of Portmore and not a select few who will benefit politically,” he said.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com