The real truth facing Portmore parish status claim

The Andrew Holness administration in recent times has been robust in its push for Portmore, dubbed the ‘Sunshine City’ to attain parish status. This seems destined to be realised sooner rather than later given the governing Jamaica Labour Party’s super majority in lower and upper house in Parliament.

Adding his voice to the discourse is Portmore Mayor Leon Thomas, who is a member of the opposition People’s National Party (PNP). Mayor Thomas in principle is not opposed to the community of approximately 200,000 inhabitants becoming Jamaica’s newest parish. At the same time, Thomas who has been mayor since 2013, is contending there are a lot more fundamental issues that must be addressed first before the matter of parish status is placed on the table for discussion.

“Portmore is certainly deserving of parish status,” said the mayor in a statement from his office. “However, before the government rushes through the process, the following must be considered: Portmore is the most populous community within the English-speaking Caribbean, with a population in excess of 180,000 persons.

“Portmore is home to many of Jamaica's tertiary trained graduates, which makes it one of the most educated communities in Jamaica.

“With this in mind, Portmore still has several challenges and deficiencies. Just to name a few; no public hospital; no public morgue, no cemetery, no designated market, no poor relief office, no parish court, no defined boundaries, poor road network and no infirmary.”

“Portmore residents depend on Spanish Town and Kingston & St. Andrew, for the above crucial services. Portmore’s fire station is woefully inadequate and cannot serve the existing communities, along with the rapid commercial and residential developments,” he continued.

“If the government wishes to pursue ‘parish status’ for Portmore, these crucial infrastructures should be established, as these are the essential elements the municipality has continuously worked on in our quest to provide adequate services to the residents of Portmore.” 

Mayor Thomas also argued that the “question of whether Portmore should be a parish or not should be put to the residents in a referendum and not a hasty political decision”.