Jermaine McCalpin | Portmore – pros and cons of the 15th parish

I have lived in Portmore for 41 years, and I believe Portmore can thrive with or without parish status. As the debate intensifies – especially in an election year – many are taking sides on whether Portmore should become Jamaica’s 15th parish. But amid the political tug-of-war, few important questions arise: Who is advocating for Portmore? Is the well-being of Portmore a genuine priority for either political party, or is it simply a pawn in their ongoing power struggle?

The 2003 designation of Portmore as a municipality (but not a city), combined with its unofficial title of “Sunshine City” and its unique status of electing a mayor directly, has led to confusion. Notably, Jamaica’s two designated cities do not have directly elected mayors. The claim that Portmore residents will be disenfranchised if they lose this feature seems weak, given that no other parish elects its mayor in this manner. If granted parish status, Portmore would instead elect local representatives dedicated solely to its governance.

MUNICIPALITY, CITY OR PARISH?

The argument that Portmore’s loss of a directly elected mayor equates to disenfranchisement appears more politically motivated than substantive. The PNP in St Catherine’s municipal corporation currently enjoys a political advantage, which could shift if Portmore were carved out as its own parish. Redrawing parish boundaries would also clarify the jurisdiction of communities that straddle the line between Portmore and Spanish Town.

But the real issue here is that Portmore has become a political football. And if one side eventually “scores,” the pressing question remains: How will Portmore actually benefit?

CASE FOR PARISH STATUS

Proponents of making Portmore a parish highlight several potential benefits:

• Portmore contributes significantly to St. Catherine’s tax revenue. Becoming a parish would ensure those funds are reinvested in Portmore’s growth.

• As a parish, Portmore could receive a larger allocation from the central government, enhancing its infrastructure and services.

• Parish status could attract targeted investments in recreation, finance, and tourism, including historical site rehabilitation.

• Portmore’s rapid expansion has blurred municipal lines, leaving some communities in administrative limbo. Parish status could formally define parameters.

SIZE MATTERS

The 2003 Municipalities Act never included a referendum, yet it implicitly positioned a municipality as a step below a parish – perhaps a “parish-in-waiting.” Portmore is unique in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean: it has the population and economic significance of a parish without the official designation.

According to Statistical Institute of Jamaica 2019 Population Estimate figures, St. Catherine would still be the second largest parish by population size. Portmore would become the sixth largest parish with a population of approximately 180,000.

Opponents of the move cite several concerns:

• Residents and stakeholders have not been adequately engaged.

• Unlike existing parishes, Portmore lacks its own hospital, cemetery, market, or morgue.

• Some fear this change weakens local democracy.

• Certain communities could be reassigned to St. Catherine, complicating local governance.

While consultation is crucial, it is not legally required.

Consultations (about parish designation) with Portmore residents should have taken place, though they were not legally required. However, meaningful engagement is necessary–unlike the so-called consultation at the Portmore Heart Academy in 2005, where then Minister of Transport and Works, Bobby Pickersgill, infamously dismissed a male resident who opposed the toll with a crude remark “ it must be your time of the month”. And I doubt he was referring to pay day.

That same year, dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel released Emergency, capturing public sentiment with the line: “Portmore me born, a deh suh mi yard stay, so we nah pay no toll fi cross de Causeway.” Nearly two decades later, Portmore residents have seen toll fees skyrocket – from $60 (around US$1) at its introduction to $360 (approximately US$2.25) today. As some of the biggest contributors to the coffers of the Toll Authority/NROCC, Portmore residents have borne the financial burden of the toll system since its inception without the benefit.

Interestingly, the Portmore Municipal Council voted five to four along party lines in favour of the toll road. This raises an important question: Would the current Mayor still oppose Portmore becoming a parish if the initiative had come from his own party?

Additionally, arguments about missing amenities, while valid, do not necessarily outweigh the longterm benefits of parish status. Hospitals and markets can be developed over time – residents already travel to Spanish Town or Kingston for many essential services.

Spanish Town Hospital is 10 to 30 minutes from most parts of Portmore, while Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) is about 35 minutes away, and the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) is approximately 40 minutes away. These distances are comparable to, or even shorter than, travel times for residents in other parts of Jamaica. For example, someone from Glengoffe, Giblatore, or Ewarton in St. Catherine must travel much farther to reach Spanish Town Hospital, just as a resident of Temple Hall would take longer to reach UHWI.

As for cemeteries, the absence of one in Portmore is not unique. In Kingston, for example, most burials do not take place within the parish but instead in St. Catherine, a trend that could continue for Portmore residents regardless of its parish status. And ... there is only one market in St. Andrew – Papine market. The others in the metropolitan region are in Kingston.

WHY THE RUSH?

One pressing question remains: Why now? Why not implement a structured 10-year plan to ensure Portmore’s readiness before making such a significant transition? The last major parish restructuring occurred in 1866, when Jamaica reduced its parishes from 22 to 14. Any new change should be carefully planned, ensuring that Portmore’s development – not political convenience – drives the decision.

Portmore has come a long way from its origins as an independence-era housing project, once dismissed as a community for “swamp dwellers.” Today, it stands as a thriving, dynamic municipality of nearly 200,000 residents – a vital contributor to the economy.

Regardless of whether Portmore remains the Sunshine City or becomes the Sunshine parish, one thing is clear: Portmore is more than a political battleground. It is home to thousands of hardworking Jamaicans.

Jermaine McCalpin, PhD is associate professor of Africana Studies at New Jersey City University. He has been a Portmore resident since 1984. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com