Porus: rich in commercial activities

Damion Mitchell, Freelance Writer

MANY YEARS ago workmen were constructing a tunnel in Porus when one tired worker asked another, "When will we ever be finished?"

His colleague answered, "Poor us."

That is one of the stories of how Porus, Manchester got its name.

While the authenticity of the story can never be proven, what is true is that Porus, south-east of Mandeville, has developed into a bustling community that has something to offer everyone.

Visitors travelling from the east, are greeted by stalls groaning under the weight of star apples, bananas, oranges and other fruit. Entering from the west, roast yam vendors line the Melrose Hill bypass.

A mainly farming community, almost every yard in Porus has at least one orange tree.

Religion

Porus has been blessed with several churches of varying denominations. Some -- the Trinity Baptist, the St. Augustine Anglican, the Whitfield United, and the Porus Methodist Church -- have been in existence for more than a century.

Legend has it, that National Hero Norman Washington Manley regularly attended the beautifully designed cut stone, Porus Methodist Church. There is an epitaph on the wall of the church in his memory.

Schools

The Porus Basic School and Porus Elementary School (now Porus Primary) have helped to nurture the minds of many Jamaicans who have excelled in various disciplines. People such as Dr. Berth Mitchell, a business person in the United States, the late Dr. Dorrel White, Professor, University of the West Indies (Mona), and Dr. Lillieth Bogle, Professor, Northern Caribbean University (NCU), received their early education in the community.

Attractions

Streams, tributaries, ponds, caves and the hilly lands bordering the community are but some of the natural attractions in and around this town of about 15,000 people. Several religious denominations conduct regular baptisms in a stream which runs adjacent to the Scotts Pass main road, just outside of the town.

The well-known Green Pond, provides an ambience of scenic beauty and relaxation. The basin-shaped pond is heavily used by swimmers and fishers.

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