This week’s featured general improvement as Newsmaker of the Week is the vary of reactions to the Supreme Courtroom’s determination to grant an interim injunction till March 28, to dam the Portmore parish legislation from taking impact regionally.
The choice, handed down by Chief Justice Bryan Sykes on Thursday, has sparked blended reactions on social media, with some expressing concern in regards to the court docket’s intervention, and others hailing it as a victory for democracy.
Some individuals, nevertheless, are fast to level out that an injunction doesn’t equate to victory for the Opposition within the case.
The controversy surrounding Portmore’s parish standing has been brewing for a while, with the Opposition Folks’s Nationwide Social gathering (PNP) vehemently opposing the Authorities’s plans.
The PNP has argued that the transfer is an try at gerrymandering by the governing Jamaica Labour Social gathering (JLP) to realize a political benefit. Nevertheless, the JLP has dismissed such assertions, arguing that the transfer to alter the municipality to a parish is geared toward additional strengthening its social and financial improvement.
Each homes of Parliament – the Senate and the Home of Representatives – have already debated and handed the Counties and Parishes (Modification) Invoice, 2025, paving the way in which for Portmore to turn into a parish.
However the Opposition voted towards the measure in each homes, citing considerations in regards to the constitutionality of the transfer.
Chief Justice Bryan Sykes’ orders have successfully put the brakes on the Authorities’s plans, stopping Native Authorities and Group Growth Minister, Desmond McKenzie, from naming a date for the legislation to take impact.
The legal professional common has till subsequent Wednesday to reply to the PNP’s affidavit, whereas the parliamentary Opposition has till subsequent Thursday to make further filings.
The Andrew Holness-led Administration is but to formally reply to the most recent saga within the contentious battle to make Portmore the island’s fifteenth parish. Nevertheless, in personally responding to the developments relative to the injunction, JLP Member of Parliament (MP) for East Central St Catherine, Alando Terrelonge, stated the Authorities stays dedicated to creating Portmore the fifteenth parish of Jamaica.
“The (information) headline doesn’t imply that Portmore can’t and can by no means turn into a parish,” stated Terrelonge in a video assertion on Fb late Friday.
He stated subsequent Friday, the Authorities’s arguments will likely be introduced to the court docket, because the court docket couldn’t hear all of the arguments primarily based on the time the related paperwork had been served.
Alando Terrelonge
“We mustn’t ever permit these people who find themselves towards progress, improvement and prosperity to unfold their propaganda and stifle the prosperity of Portmore and Jamaica for his or her egocentric political good points. On Friday, March 28, 2025, the matter will likely be heard in court docket,” wrote Terrelonge in a caption accompanying the video.
In the meantime, the PNP has welcomed the Supreme Courtroom’s determination, with Member of Parliament for Southern St Catherine, Fitz Jackson, the PNP’s spokesman on issues relative to Portmore, hailing it as an “vital step in upholding the Structure and defending the democratic will of the folks of Portmore.”
Jackson added that, “These orders stop the minister of native authorities and group improvement from naming an efficient date for the legislation, regardless of its passage by means of each Homes (f Parliament) and assent by the governor-general.”
In a press release from the PNP on Friday, Jackson additionally reiterated that the Authorities’s transfer to impose parish standing with out correct session or consent from residents is “undemocratic and blatant gerrymandering”.
Fitz Jackson
He stated the Opposition absolutely helps the residents of Portmore of their plight for inclusion in issues that concern them.
“The Authorities’s unilateral effort to impose parish standing with out correct session or consent from the residents is undemocratic and blatant gerrymandering,” Jackson stated, including that, “The Opposition absolutely helps the residents of Portmore of their plight for inclusion in issues that concern them and is prepared to take all authorized steps to make sure that their voices are heard.”
Jackson additionally highlighted the significance of preserving Portmore’s distinctive native governance construction.
“Portmore’s distinctive native governance construction, which was developed and maintained by its residents since its inception, should not be overridden for political achieve,” he stated.
“The folks of Portmore have lengthy loved governance by means of a definite framework, and any change to that should contain their full and knowledgeable participation, not political manoeuvring on the point of an election,” Jackson added.
PNP President, Mark Golding, welcomed the court docket determination, claiming that the JLP was trying to re-engineer the boundaries of sure constituencies in Portmore to attain political benefit for the governing occasion.
Mark Golding
Because the matter heads again to court docket subsequent Friday, the nation waits with bated breath to see how this political drama will unfold.
Some social media customers have opined that the most recent developments within the Portmore parish push underscore the deep-seated considerations in regards to the Administration’s motivations and the potential implications for the upcoming Normal Elections.
Meantime, different customers stated that one factor is definite, the Supreme Courtroom’s determination has dealt a big blow to the Authorities’s plans, with the Opposition seemingly decided to battle on.
“Some are upset that the PNP was profitable in getting an injunction for Portmore being a parish. The PNP stated it is (the legislation to make Portmore a parish) unconstitutional,” a person wrote on X (previously Twitter).
“Former ECJ chair stated it’s unconstitutional. Present ECJ chair wrote to parliament saying it’s unconstitutional. Why are you upset with the PNP?” the person requested.
In response, a person said that, “As a Portmore resident, I wish to see the town I’ve lived in for 31 years turn into a parish. I’m upset with the PNP as a result of they’re the primary voice stopping this essential alternative for the town’s improvement.”
He argued additional that, “Having held the mayorship for therefore lengthy, the PNP is greatest positioned to argue why Portmore’s improvement as a parish ought to be beneath them.
“As a substitute of laying out plans to stipulate what Portmore parish will seem like beneath the PNP, they’ve determined to actively battle towards it.
“The PNP can also be divisive. They speak about Portmore residents’ voices not being heard – however primarily based on their city halls attendees, it seems as if the one official voices are these sporting orange, yellow or purple,” he opined.
“The place is the help for residents who need this?” he requested additional.
Wrote a lady: “This Administration have a significant downside with the Structure. It’s disconcerting.”
On Fb, a lady requested about the advantages of constructing Portmore a parish, and who will it really profit.
“The lawless despises the appliance of legislation… Who precisely will it help make Portmore a parish, and the way precisely will it assist them?” she requested.
“Any person plz (please) clarify. I’m prepared to be schooled on this matter,” the girl said.
Opined a person: “No subject right here. That’s how injunctions work guys. You give the advantage of the doubt to the applicant for an preliminary interval in order that the defendant can reply. This isn’t victory or information; that’s simply how the legislation works.”
Claimed one other: “PNP battle towards every part that’s good for Jamaicans. Why going to court docket to cease one thing like that?”
In response, a lady stated: “Jamaicans do not learn in any respect! Portmore changing into a parish has penalties for the constituencies and can affect the St Catherine Parish Council (now Municipal Company), which the JLP need.”
Shared a purported Portmore resident: “As a resident of Larger Portmore, I’ve applauded the end result of the choice. This insulting behaviour of make choices with out consulting the residents ought to be rejected.”
Stated one other: “I stay in Portmore – Waterford to be actual – and I am unable to let you know what advantages will likely be derived from Portmore changing into a parish; all I see right here is simply politics – one (political) occasion desires all.”
One other man added his voice to the dialogue, insisting that Portmore ought to be a parish.
“No court docket, no PNP can cease Portmore changing into Jamaica’s subsequent parish!
“Cease preventing Andrew Michael Holness. Portmore will get a hospital, market and courthouse, and other people will get jobs when it turns into a parish. Consider Andrew Holness,” he said.
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