Committee approves plan for Portmore to become 15th parish

The joint select committee reviewing the proposal for Portmore to become Jamaica’s 15th parish met on Thursday and approved the plan, which is to undergo further fine-tuning before being sent to Parliament. However, it did not include any input from the parliamentary Opposition, the People’s National Party, most of whose committee members were absent from the meeting.

Committee chairman Dr Andrew Wheatley opened the meeting by pointing out that some of the major areas of concern raised would be addressed, with the issue of traffic congestion topping the list.

“It is quite clear that questions or issues that come about as a result of concerns raised by a number of persons as it relates to traffic congestion in Portmore, that the work that is being planned should greatly improve the flow of traffic, especially during peak hours,” Wheatley told the meeting.

However, when he attempted to put the matter to a vote, committee member Floyd Morris, who was participating online, apologised for the absence of his colleagues, member of parliament for St Catherine Eastern, Denise Daley, and member of parliament for St Catherine South, Fitz Jackson, who has publicly stated his objection to the proposed change, on the grounds that it will bring only cosmetic changes and nothing concrete for residents of the municipality.

Testy exchange

Morris’ explanation that their absence was due to the parliamentary recess, and that the Opposition members would reserve their comments for the final draft report before it is sent to Parliament, triggered some testy responses from the governing Jamaica Labour Party members of parliament.

Robert Miller, the member of parliament for St Catherine Eastern, who was also participating online, sought clarification as to whether the objection was from the parliamentary Opposition or from Morris.

In response Morris said: “I did state in my response that it is the Opposition, and I think there are three or four members of the Opposition. So we reserve our comments until we see the report.”

As he moved to put the matter to a vote, Wheatley was interrupted by member of parliament for St Catherine East Central, Allando Terrelonge, who declared his strong support for the report and asked that members not play politics with the issue.

“For the benefit of the residents, for the good people of Portmore, let us not play politics with the development, the growth, the future prosperity of Portmore,” he urged, which prompted a response from Morris, which could not be heard due to technical difficulties, but which triggered the following outburst from Everald Warmington, member of parliament for South West St Catherine.

“That is not our business.”

Morris, however, insisted on being heard and held his ground.

“Members of the Opposition have indicated to me that they are not a part of this meeting because when we were going on parliamentary recess, they were not apprised that there was going to be a committee meeting of this nature, and so they never prepared to be a part of it.”

Wheatley, who up to this point had been tolerant of the arguments advanced by Morris for the Opposition’s non-participation, lost his cool.

“Member Morris, this nonsensical argument will not be tolerated. There is a mechanism in place that we use to notify members of meetings, whether at the committee level or at the parliamentary level. Now this meeting was first scheduled for last Thursday, but because of the weather, we postponed it and rescheduled it for this Thursday.

“So, member Morris, I don’t have any time for the politicking and I am closing this part of the discussion. Let us not make a fool of ourselves in front of the public. The days of this type of fool-fool politics and Opposition opposing just to oppose, oppose, it doesn’t make sense. Let us move forward and deal with the issue at hand.”

Morris then asked: “So you are telling me that I cannot speak?”

Wheatley ignored Morris, but as the crosstalk between him and Robert Miller threatened to disrupt the meeting, the chairman issued this order.

“Can you just mute those persons who are interrupting the meeting, whether it is member Miller or member Morris.”

He then put the matter to a vote and invited the lone opposition member to participate, but it was not the answer he anticipated, as an enrage Morris fired back

“Mr Chairman, I’ve been asking you to speak, you know, and you can’t rush me into a vote when you don’t allow me to speak. I am not going to be anybody’s puppet.”

Wheatley was swift in cutting him off.

“Okay, member Morris, noted. The ayes have it. Members, thank you.

A more refined draft report will now be written before being sent to the Parliament, advising that the joint select committee which reviewed the proposal for Portmore to become the country’s 15 parish has endorsed it. This report will be subject to further reviews in the houses of Parliament.