PM, Fitz Jackson clash over proposed Portmore boundaries

Prime Minister Andrew Holness and St Catherine South Member of Parliament Fitz Jackson on Tuesday clashed over the proposed Portmore parish boundaries. 

The occasion was the handing over of a three-bedroom house constructed for Shaniel Francis under the New Social Housing Programme in Casabanna, Clifton, St Catherine. 

Jackson, in an unexpected move, accused the Holness administration of unilaterally trying to establish a parish without the input of the Electoral Office of Jamaica and, as a result, cutting off voters from his constituency. 

Jackson said Cabinet member Everald Warmington has publicly stated that the Government would be unilaterally redrawing the Portmore boundaries and there has been no rebuttal from the prime minister.

The prime minister hit back saying: "It was not my intention to come here and address boundary and constituency issues, because there is a time for everything, but I am really concerned based on the things my good friend Fitz Jackson has said, it is not about the improvement of the people's lives but the loss of votes."

He then chastised previous People's National Party administrations for allegedly encouraging the setting up of irregular settlements in Jamaica, stating that he now has to be correcting the problem.

The recipient of the house, Shaniel Francis, was one of ten persons who had bought land sold illegally in Clifton and were impacted by a demolition exercise ordered by the prime minister last October. 

According to the prime minister, four of the nine other persons had responded to the Sugar Company of Jamaica's request for documentation and they will also be given an opportunity to own land in an organised community.

- Ruddy Mathison

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