JLP councillors condemn abrupt adjournment of St Catherine municipal meeting over Portmore parish Bill
Published:Thursday | February 13, 2025 | 3:36 PM
Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillors have strongly objected to the abrupt adjournment of today’s monthly meeting of the St Catherine Municipal Corporation.
The meeting was halted just 10 minutes after it was called to order, as People's National Party (PNP) councillors used their majority to stage a protest against the passage of a bill in the House of Representatives to grant parish status to Portmore, making it Jamaica’s 15th parish.
Following the adjournment, JLP councillors convened their own meeting and expressed disappointment at the sudden shutdown of the session.
They described the move as an "unfortunate situation."
Speaking to reporters, Minority Leader in the St Catherine Municipal Corporation, Theresa Turner Flyn, criticised the PNP councillors.
"As councillors who sit here to conduct the business of the people, it is unfortunate that we come to council 12 minutes after 10, only for the meeting to be aborted. Why? Because of the bill passed in Parliament stating that Portmore should become Jamaica’s 15th parish," Turner Flyn stated.
She also questioned the reasoning behind the PNP’s opposition to the move.
"They are opposing on what premise? We can't understand, because councillors from Portmore who sit in St Catherine can participate in discussions and chair committees. But if we go to Portmore, we can't speak there or chair committees."
Turner Flyn stressed that JLP councillors see parish status as beneficial for both Portmore and St Catherine, emphasising the efficiency of having a single mayor per parish.
"So yes, we are looking forward to it," she declared.
Once the bill becomes law, the political dynamics of the St Catherine Municipal Corporation will shift in favour of the JLP, which will assume leadership with 17 councillors compared to the PNP’s 12.
- Ruddy Mathison
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