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Portmore Mayor Leon Thomas and Dalton Scott, President of the Cumberland Tri-Sector Citizen Association, speaking on Radio Jamaica's 'Beyond the Headlines'
By Warren Bertram
Mayor of Portmore, Leon Thomas, says the municipality has asked the Local Government Ministry for an extension to discuss the draft Counties and Parishes (Amendment) Bill 2022, with the community.
The proposed legislation forms the basis of plans to make Portmore Jamaica's 15th parish.
It includes provisions that will remove direct mayoral elections as well as alter the boundary of Portmore.
Mr. Thomas said the extension requested to discuss the draft bill should run until the second week of January 2023.
He explained that this would give the municipal corporation more time to meet with various community associations and groups on the proposed changes.
But Mr. Thomas insisted the people of Portmore had already made it clear years ago that they want the area to be a municipality with a directly elected mayor. He said a decision to make Portmore the newest parish should not be forced upon the residents but the government should instead "put it to the people" for them to decide.
The mayor was speaking Thursday on Radio Jamaica's Beyond the Headlines.
Dalton Scott, President of the Cumberland Tri-Sector Citizen Association, has also expressed concern regarding the proposed changes to the municipality of Portmore.
He admitted that he has not seen the draft legislation, but has heard discussions among community members.
Mr. Scott said the proposed change to how the mayor is elected is particularly concerning for him and his association.
He explained that Portmore residents believe they are best served by the current state of affairs which sees them being the only municipality that is allowed to directly elect its mayor.
Mr. Scott, who was also speaking Thursday on Beyond the Headlines, said even if the decision to make Portmore the 15th parish is approved, direct mayoral elections should remain a feature, since it gives Portmore residents a greater say in who their mayor is and allows for better correspondence between the elected official and residents.
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