By Vernon Daley, Staff ReporterIF PRIME Minister P.J. Patterson goes ahead with the Local Government elections this month, there would need to be a separate election to choose a Mayor for the Portmore community of south and south-eastern St. Catherine.
George Lee, community activist in the Portmore area, told The Gleaner on Wednesday that during recent consultations with the government, it was acknowledged that the March-end timeframe for holding the elections would have made it difficult to pass the necessary legislation in time to allow the creation of the Portmore Municipality.
Consequently, he said, a provision has been inserted into the proposed Municipality Act, which would allow the Minister of Local Government to set the date for election of the first mayor.
While noting that this was "untidy," he said the important consideration was that that election should be held as close to the Local Government elections as possible.
Mr. Lee said residents of Portmore were looking forward to a speedy conclusion of deliberations on the proposed Municipalities Act.
The legislation, which was sent to a joint select committee of Parliament on Tuesday, will clear the way for Portmore residents to elect their mayor directly.
"What we are impressing on them (the committee) is that the people of Portmore would want to see a speedy resolution," said Mr. Lee who has indicated that he would be running as an Independent candidate for the post of mayor. Mr. Lee, who was elected Councillor for the Greater Portmore North division in St. Catherine South on a People's National Party ticket, has been one of the leading advocates of municipality status for Portmore over the years.
There has been much speculation as to whether Prime Minister Patterson will postpone the elections, constitutionally due by the end of March.
An election official told The Gleaner earlier this week that it was unlikely that the Prime Minister would push to have the elections this month.
Given the minimum 21 days between the announcement of the election and the holding of the poll, the Prime Minister would have to call the elections by early next week.
The Members of the House who have been named to the joint select committee to review the Municipalities Act are: Portia Simpson Miller (chairperson), Dr. Paul Robertson, Fitz Jackson, Sharon Hay-Webster, Charles Learmond, Pearnel Charles, Mike Henry and Abe Dabdoub. The Senators who will sit on the committee are to be named today.
Mrs. Simpson Miller, the Minister of Local Government, decided to refer the matter to a joint select committee after the Jamaica Labour Party raised several concerns about the proposed legislation.
