Mayor leads protest outside soon-to-be closed JPS Portmore office

6:18 pm, Thu March 4, 2021

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Portmore Mayor Leon Thomas leads a protest outside the JPS office in the municipality on Thursday.

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Portmore resident Rhoda Thompson, Mayor of Portmore Leon Thomas and Audrey Williams, JPS Media and Public Relations Manager Audrey Williams

Mayor of Portmore Leon Thomas led a protest outside the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) office in the municipality on Thursday.

The office is one of seven locations to be closed starting March 18.

JPS says the process should be completed by April 1.

The company had indicated that because of increased online usage due to the COVID-19 pandemic and fewer customers visiting the seven offices, it made a decision to close them.

Portmore resident Rhoda Thompson, who was at the protest, said senior citizens are ignorant of the online process to pay bills.

"There are a lot of seniors and pensioners in Portmore and Portmore is a big community. It's mostly the young people who can go online. Most people don't have a debit card or a debit card to pay online," she insisted.

Ms Thompson said some senior citizens also fear going to Spanish Town, which will be the closest office after the closures.

Portmore Mayor Leon Thomas said while he understands the JPS's rationale for closing some of its locations, another solution must be found.

"We're asking JPS to cancel their approach. Have dialogue with the people of Portmore.... Let us sit down together and work out a solution to the problem instead of closing the office," he urged.

The mayor said while JPS has indicated it plans to have a mobile bus to provide services to Portmore residents, the company will have to seek permission from the municipal corporation and pay a fee.

The JPS responded following the protest, saying it is open to dialogue with stakeholders regarding the closure of some of its offices.

Audrey Williams, Media and Public Relations Manager at the JPS, said the company will also be educating affected customers, especially those who are "not as computer savvy" about alternative service options - one of which is a 24-hour customer centre.