Delayed Portmore municipal building opens for first council meeting
Published:Friday | December 10, 2021 | 10:20 AM
Rasbert Turner/Gleaner Writer
The unique night meetings held monthly by the Portmore Municipal Corporation may have to be hosted earlier because of difficulties in securing timely attendance from agencies' personnel to report on matters.
The disclosure was made by Portmore Mayor Leon Thomas following a Gleaner interview at Wednesday's meeting.
Portmore, with the only directly elected mayor, has the distinction of holding its general meetings nightly, starting around 7 p.m.
The corporation held its first meeting at the newly built headquarters on Wednesday.
Thomas was elated about the venue change.
"It has been a long time coming, but finally we are here," Thomas said.
"When we broke ground, it was believed that it would've been completed in one year. However, it took five years."
He said the project (the building) is set to save the corporation at least $11,000,000 annually for the four shops it occupied at the Portmore Pines Plaza.
Courtney Edwards, councillor of the Independent City division, endorsed the achievement, which he said was a project between the local government ministry and the corporation.
"I do think that we have saved some funds to be used in other areas, but I think that Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie should be a part of the historic occasion," Edwards, the minority leader, said.
Residents in attendance expressed delight over the spanking new building.
"The building is very inviting. It's a pleasant addition to the municipality," Lorraine Wiltshire said.
"I do believe the people deserve this development. I also think if the meetings are held during the days, it would have better attendance."
Approximately $200 million has been spent on the building, which is located adjacent to a police station.
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