BORDER WRANGLE

During the handover of a social housing project on Tuesday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness clashed with St Catherine South Member of Parliament (MP) Fitz Jackson over the designated Portmore parish boundary.

The confrontation arose from the Government’s decision to establish a parish without consulting the Electoral Office of Jamaica to set the constituency boundaries, leading to accusations from Jackson of acting unilaterally and gerrymandering.

The People’s National Party MP claimed Cabinet member Everald Warmington publicly announced the redrawing of Portmore boundaries, potentially leaving parts of the St Catherine South constituency without representation.

Jackson stressed the historical importance of the Electoral Advisory Commission, criticising the move as a departure from the collaborative legal approach in determining constituency boundaries since 1979.

“Regrettably, Prime Minister, your Cabinet member has publicly announced that all this is a thing of the past and the boundaries of constituencies are now going to be determined in a smart way to change the boundaries by changing the parish council,” he stated.

Jackson argued that, by establishing a parish, the incumbent Government has unilaterally changed the constituency boundaries.

Jackson said the absence of a response by the Government to Warmington’s statements suggested what was taking place was a classic case of gerrymandering, which is the manipulation of political boundaries to gain political advantage.

“In 2023, this is a retrograde step and I don’t want your legacy as prime minister to be tainted by this,” the MP said.

In response, however, Holness defended the administration’s approach to changing boundaries.

Expressing a commitment to change without chaos and with equity and fairness, the prime minister dismissed Jackson’s concerns, stating that the focus should be on improving people’s lives, rather than losing votes.

“It was not my intention to come here and address boundary and constituency issues, because there is time for everything, but I am really concerned, based on the things my good friend, Fitz Jackson has said. It is not about the people’s lives, but the loss of votes,” he said.

Holness then shifted the discussion to the orderly presentation of housing settlements in Jamaica, emphasising the Government’s efforts to address informal settlements, after indicating to Jackson that the boundaries are drawn to include a large section of the area known as the Hellshire Hills.

The prime minister criticised past PNP government members for their roles in allowing irregular settlements to develop. He argued that his administration was taking steps to rectify the issue and ensure order instead of chaos.

Holness highlighted the organised process through which new homeowner Shaniel Francis received her house at Casabanna in Clifton, St Catherine, during the handover ceremony on Tuesday.

Despite the tense exchange, Holness insisted he did not attend the event to incite political disputes but rather to focus on the positive impact of housing initiatives.

“So, I beg you, don’t play politics with housing, don’t play politics with the people’s lives,” Holness cautioned in response to Jackson’s claim that the community did not support the event because they were angry about not receiving their titles.

The prime minister disclosed that, by the February 2024 date suggested by Jackson, all 400-plus titles should be ready for handing out with more than half of this number already processed.

The clash between the prime minister and the Opposition MP underscored the broader implications of the Portmore parish boundary dispute and its potential effects on representation and political dynamics in St Catherine.

editorial@gleanerjm.com