Daneilla McLaughlin

Novermber 30, 2023

Golding rejects Holness’ plan to make Portmore 15^th parish

In a press release from the Office of the leader of the opposition, opposition leader, Mark Golding critiqued the government's proposal to alter the current structure of the Portmore municipality.

 The proposal to make Portmore the 15^th parish was announced in parliament on November 3, 2020 by prime minister, Andrew Holness and minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Desmond Mckenzie. Subsequently, a special select committee comprising Clifford Everald Warmington, Fitz Jackson, Andrew Wheatley, Marlene Mahaloo Forte and Delroy Chuck was established to deliberate on the issue, according to the report of the joint select committee. In 2022, the house of representatives approved the motion to make Portmore the 15^th parish.

Opposition leader, Mark Golding argued that any proposal to alter the current structure of the Portmore municipality requires prior consultation with the residents and organizations of the Portmore municipality.  

“The present structure of the Portmore municipality resulted from many years of internal consultations and deliberations of the people of Portmore and represents the outcome of the residents’ hard-fought goals,” he explained.

Golding mentioned, the JLP administration made a political platform promise in 2007 without any known consultations with the Portmore municipality.

He revealed, the joint select committee failed to confirm any material benefits of converting Portmore city into Jamaica's 15^th parish.

“Furthermore the joint Select Committee Of parliament confirmed that no material benefits will accure to the people or communities of Portmore,” he wrote.

“It has long been clear to us that the objective of the conversation of Portmore from a city Municipality to a Parish is driven by a narrow partisan and self-serving desire to separate the people of Portmore from the rest of St. Catherine in order to secure political control of the Spanish Town Municipal Corporation,” he said.

He said the objective was confirmed by a senior member of the Jamaica Labour Party, Minister Clifford Warmington on Sunday November 12, 2023 in a public statement which has been published in the media.

“In his statement Minister Warmington stated that the boundaries of Portmore will be changed to ensure that several areas within two Portmore constituencies which have predominantly voted for the people’s National Party, will no longer be in those constituencies,” he wrote.

The opposition leader demanded the conclusion of the government’s efforts to make Portmore a parish and warned that this effort threatens the democratic processes and will have negative implications on the country.