Boundaries concerns linger over Portmore - Opposition hints at further court action

The long-running dispute over the proposed boundaries for Portmore intensified last Thursday as the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) began the process of finalising constituency and electoral boundaries for the country’s proposed 15th parish.
Sharp divisions emerged during an EOJ-organised Boundaries Committee meeting in Portmore, with Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) Fitz Jackson (St Catherine Southern) and Dr Alfred Dawes (St Catherine South Eastern) refusing to endorse the process.
Government representatives, including St Catherine East Central MP Alando Terrelonge and former St Catherine South Eastern MP Robert Miller, supported the exercise, arguing that the EOJ was carrying out its constitutional responsibilities.
Jackson, however, maintained that although the Portmore Parish Bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament, assented to by the governor general, and gazetted, it has not taken legal effect because of ongoing court proceedings.
“The exercise today was to explore ways of seeking to have the bill conform to the Constitution, but I think they have run into a roadblock,” Jackson told The Gleaner after the meeting.
“The Boundaries Committee of Parliament, which is controlled by the Government, has mandated the EOJ to make changes to comply with what the court has ordered. Unfortunately what we are seeing is that the EOJ is asked to prescribe constituency boundaries in a parish that does not exist.”
Jackson argued that the EOJ was attempting to carry out a directive from Parliament’s Boundaries Committee, chaired by the Speaker of the House, that disregards constitutional requirements.
“We have a difficulty with this. I would expect that they would seek some proper legal advice as to whether or not they can set constituency boundaries for a parish that does not legally exist,” he asserted, while indicating that further legal action remains an option if necessary to compel the Government to comply with the Constitution.
KANGAROO COMMITTEE
Dawes was equally critical, describing the proceedings as illegitimate and declaring that he would not participate in future meetings.
“My participation will be limited for the simple reason that it is a kangaroo committee. They have already decide they will have a Portmore parish base on gerrymandering. The last time I checked, voters decide who their representative should be and not the other way around,” he said.
He added that he would not attend future meetings because, in his view, the committee was powerless.
Terrelonge, meanwhile, defended the EOJ’s work.
“The EOJ is doing their job and we are here to support them. There are three constituencies in Portmore and they will have to be renamed,” he said.
He continued: “This is just the technical work and I believe the EOJ is competent to proceed with their work and it is incumbent on everyone to support the work they are doing.”
The Portmore Parish Bill remains the subject of a constitutional challenge brought by the Opposition.
The matter is pending before the courts following a ruling by the chief justice directing that the constituency boundary issue be addressed before the Government proceeds with implementing the new parish boundaries.
The Opposition has argued that the legislation breaches constitutional provisions stipulating that the boundary of a constituency shall not cross the boundary of a parish as established under the Counties and Parishes Act, 1867. It has also contended that the proposed parish of Portmore would affect four parliamentary constituencies, 13 electoral divisions, and nearly 400 polling divisions in St Catherine.
ruddy.mathison@gleanerjm.com