Chairman of the Joint Select Committee to establish Portmore as the nation’s fifteenth parish, Dr. Andrew Wheatley, says the municipality is to become a model for others to emulate.
Dr. Wheatley made the declaration at the first meeting of the Committee this morning.
The decision to split Portmore from St. Catherine and the boundaries to mark the new parish promises to be a thorny issue.
Dr. Wheatley tried to impress upon the committee members the importance of what they’re seeking to achieve.
He says Portmore should become a model parish.
Dr. Wheatley says the parish has successfully attracted some of the youngest and brightest Jamaicans.
He says the committee will help to establish key issues such as the boundaries and the capital.
But, South St. Catherine MP, Fitz Jackson, questioned the move which he sees as an attempt to gain partisan political advantage.
However, South St. James MP, Homer Davis, says based on polling, the people of Portmore want the move.
And, Opposition Senator, Damian Crawford called on the committee members not to jump to a foregone conclusion.
The committee is to next meet on January 14, 2021 and is welcoming submissions from interested parties.
