People’s National Party (PNP) councillors and residents of Portmore voiced their outrage over the Government’s decision to establish Portmore as Jamaica’s 15th parish. During a protest near Gordon House, councillors claimed the move strips residents of their right to elect their mayor and manipulates boundaries for political gain. Mayor Leon Thomas argued that strong PNP areas were deliberately removed, while Councillor Kenard Grant accused the Government of excluding residents from the decision-making process.

‘No to Portmore parish!’

Jamaica Gleaner/14 Feb 2025/Corey.robinson@gleanerjm.com

PEOPLE’S NATIONAL Party (PNP) councillors and residents of Portmore, St Catherine, used the excitement of the ceremonial opening of Parliament on Thursday to continue their protest against the Government’s decision to establish Portmore as the island’s 15th parish.

The Government, using its supermajority, earlier this week, pushed through the bill, which amends the Countries and Parish Act of 1867. The bill is to head to the Senate for debate and passing. If enacted, Portmore would become the first parish to be created in more than 150 years.

That, however, has not been going down well with the councillors who, yesterday, stood not far from Gordon House, waving placards and crying injustice at the Government’s plans. They see the move as being entirely political.

Some of the placards read: “This bill will destroy the people’s rights”, “Portmore’s voice has been ripped away”, “Boundary manipulation, excluded communities who get left out”, and “No referendum, no consent.”

“Over 14,000 people voted for me in the last local government election to elect me as their mayor, and the Jamaica Labour Party has so decided that they would go into Parliament, with a minimum of 24 people, to overturn the rights of the people who have voted for me,” said Leon Thomas, mayor of Portmore.

“What they have done is take off Lilliput, Lakes Pen, Garbally, Quarry Hill, all those areas which are strong PNP areas [from Portmore],” said Thomas, who is also a resident of the municipality. “In 2016, when the boundary was at the Tamarind Farm prison, they went to court and reverted the boundary to the municipal boulevard, believing that they could win the mayoral race, and they did not succeed.

“They have come back again and now want to put in 15 parishes because they believe that when they do that, the councillors from Portmore will not go to Spanish Town, so they will have total control of Spanish Town,” he said. “In doing that, they also disenfranchise the rights of the residents of Portmore to have a say and vote for the mayor who they want.”

POLITICAL TRICKERY

Meanwhile, Councillor Kenard Grant, of the Bridgeport division, was incensed at what he described as the Government’s political trickery, using Portmore residents, particularly those not aware of the implications, as pawns.

“We were not given the opportunity to lend our voice to the decision-making process. So, as a result, we are provoked to take it to the streets. We have no other opportunity. If you don’t want to listen to us we have to force you to listen,” said Grant. “And it is unfortunate that you are not even trying to get their perspective on a matter which will directly impact them.”

Denise Murphy-bramwell, councillor for the Bog Walk division, said, “We had to come out and let the Government know that the residents of Portmore, and the citizens of Jamaica as a whole, have a voice in whatever decision is being taken, and it should not be taken from them. It is not in the interest of the people. It is all about their own political agendas and intentions.”

Earlier this week, a debate in Parliament regarding the issue was highly contentious, culminating in a walkout by the opposition members before the final vote to move the bill out of the committee stage. The legislation was ultimately approved with one amendment.

Desmond Mckenzie, minister of local government and community development, who piloted the bill, emphasised that the move was not merely about increasing the number of parishes but rather a historic step in a post-colonial Jamaica.

“We are providing, through this bill tabled in this House, the civil and practical developmental opportunities that will allow Portmore to achieve this outstanding milestone and a fulfilment of a commitment made to the electorate of this country by the Jamaica Labour Party while campaigning for office,” he said.

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