Wheatley defends move to establish Portmore as Jamaica’s 15th parish

Andrew Wheatley, chairman of the joint select committee of Parliament which was tasked with establishing the framework for Jamaica’s first post-colonial parish, has strongly defended the Government’s move to designate parish status to Portmore.

In an exclusive interview with The Gleaner Wheatley dismissed what he described as misinformation now in the public space concerning plans to formally recognise Portmore as a parish. He suggested a robust public education campaign on the matter.

“The claim being propagated that lands are being taken away from Portmore is totally incorrect,” Wheatley emphasised.

He continued: “The Greater Bernard Lodge development which is supposed to house some 20, 000 new units will be part of Portmore based on the proposed boundary solution that was sent to the council for discussion.”

IMPROVE ACCESS POINTS

According to Wheatley, the lands south of the East-West toll road will be the northern boundary of the parish of Portmore.

“From a logistics perspective it is easy to accept that the new development should be linked to the Portmore parish concept, so all the housing solutions as well as the proposed new town centre will be part of the parish of Portmore,” Wheatley told The Gleaner.

He noted that improvements to the infrastructure of Portmore are being done not because of the move to give Portmore parish status but because it is a necessary criterion to development.

“The road infrastructure is a sore point. Access into and out of Portmore especially at peak hours is a sore point.”

Wheatley disclosed that plans are in place to improve those access points, including construction of an overpass in the vicinity of Caymanas to carry persons into Portmore. In addition all the lanes leading out of Caymanas will be upgraded to accommodate two-way traffic in one direction out of Portmore.

He outlined the dualisation of Municipal Boulevard, Grange Lane to Agusta Drive and Braeton Parkway – the main commercial district which is the proposed parish capital to Hellshire – as projects that are now being addressed.

STATE-OF-THE-ART HOSPITAL

Wheatley said the issue of the amendment to the Counties and Parishes Act of 1872 that will see the resolving of the office of the directly elected mayor – a provision now contained in the Municipal Act of 2003 – will be debated when the bill is tabled in the House.The amendment is currently proposed in the bill.

Addressing the issue of a public general hospital for Portmore, Wheatley argued that although it is not a requirement for the establishment of a parish, the government is committed to building a hospital in Portmore given its phenomenal growth.

“The prime minister has given his commitment that a hospital will be built in Portmore and the government is working to deliver on this commitment. In addition the proposed building of a state-of-the-art hospital in Spanish Town which is expected to start soon is within the ten-mile radius,” Wheatley said.

He said Portmore has the potential to become a model parish not only in the Caribbean but Latin America, citing the technological base that lies within its boundaries.

“This has been 20 years in the making and we are now ready to deliver for the people of Portmore,” Wheatley added.