Rasbert Turner, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Spanish Town, St. Catherine:

Opposition leader Bruce Golding says a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government will renegotiate the Portmore leg of Highway 2000, which has been a source of controversy between the current administration and residents of the St. Catherine municipality since its opening in July last year.

Speaking to a gathering of Portmore residents in Naggo Head on the weekend, Golding said it was unfair that residents were being charged to get to their homes when the replacement of the causeway was not part of the original agreement between Government and the highway developers.

Golding stated that a JLP administration would seek to extend the 35-year period, after which the highway is to be handed over to the state-owned National Road Operation and Construction Company (NROCC) by the developers - TransJamaican Highway - to give them time to recover losses from the renegotiation. He added that the six-month review on toll rates would be extended.

He added that the JLP would be moving to introduce the railway to Portmore in order to provide residents with anothe to the toll road. Currently, the only othe is the Mandela Highway.

Court battle

Portmore residents have been up in arms since plans to transform the causeway into a toll road were made public.

A court battle ensued over the issue but residents walked away empty handed when a ruling was handed down in favour of the Government.

In July last year, the toll issue reached a peak as residents lambasted the government for instituting a $60 toll for cars using the toll road.

The opening of the road was met by protests and some residents boycotted the route to demand that the rate be lowered to $30.