Robert Buddan, Contributor
SOMETIMES IT is governments and not people who take critical initiatives in development. The development plans of successive governments have made Portmore into the largest and most developed community in the English-speaking Caribbean. Three major hallmarks in Portmore's development can be identified.
In 1965 the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) was formed and made plans to build on 27,000 acres of land for housing, business, schools and medical facilities, much of which got under way in 1969. Then in 1991 the Greater Portmore Scheme was started for 14,000 housing units. Of these 10,000 were built out of the San Jose Accord, an agreement arrived at between the governments of Michael Manley and Carlos Andres Perez of Venezuela by which oil price concessions were contributed to development projects. Most of the Government's $7 billion investment in Portmore came through savings from that San Jose Accord, and contributions from the National Housing Trust and the Commonwealth Development Corporation.
The third hallmark centre around plans to open up Hellshire Hills for tourism and urban development. This was part of the UDC's original conception. The plan is to accommodate another 30,000-40,000 residents in three new self-contained communities.
HIGHWAY 2000
This is where the new toll highway comes in. It is an integral part of Portmore's future. In 1900, Portmore was sparsely populated and fairly isolated although it was but 15 miles from Kingston, itself becoming the most rapidly growing centre of rural-urban migration. By 1945, Kingston and St. Andrew hosted 73 per cent of the total urban population of Jamaica. Portmore always had the potential to ease this congestion but its development was delayed by problems of flooding and transportation since lands below sea-level required expensive filling. Colonial governments did not have plans for modernising Kingston and other urban areas. It is no wonder that Portmore was one of the first areas to benefit from development after Independence and why, in fact, Independence City was so named.
Portmore was linked to Kingston by train after the 1840s through Gregory Park. This was never adequate and in fact shifted development away from the wider area to Gregory Park. The present three-mile causeway was built after land was filled in and a bridge constructed above sea level. From a few farmers and fishermen, Portmore now has some 200,000 residents. It is a modern community with schools, a town centre, churches, library, police stations, post office, and health centre. By 1999, Portmore's Business Directory listed over 300 businesses. Politically, Portmore had come of age as well. In 2003 it received the first directly elected Mayor and by July 2003 it held it first Municipal Council meeting. The Mayor presented his first budget to citizens in February 2004.
PAYING FOR DEVELOPMENT
The new six-lane bridge from Kingston to Portmore is the backbone of Portmore's future development. But the associated user fee has surprisingly created a major citizen backlash. Some of its citizens question whether they should pay $65 in tolls. Yet, there is no decision to charge that amount and signals suggest that the fee will be less, if not much less.
Furthermore, it is agreed that the present two-lane bridge is inadequate. What is worse is that some citizens believe they should pay no toll at all. There are always those who want something for nothing and they are trying to seize the issue. Citizens of Portmore must debate this issue in a rational and civil manner and consider the benefits they can expect from the new highway. This is what their new municipal democracy demands. Portmore should consider itself the envy of many communities.
The new municipality will be able to substantially increase the current budget of $152 million when the new highway brings more business and increases property values in Portmore. New taxes will come from property tax, motor vehicle licences, trade licences and billboards, market fees and central government expenditures on roads, street lights and solid waste management.
Already banks, insurance companies, supermarket chains, and other interests are planning to do more business in Portmore. As one Jamaica Observer editorial pointed out, 'Roadways drive development by opening new regions and increase the speed at which people, goods and services can move.'
If these are more collateral benefits, there are some direct ones. Calling Portmore citizens to common sense, the same newspaper editorial said, 'We suspect it costs more in petrol, wear-and-tear on the vehicle and the time wasted by sitting for such a long time in traffic, as is currently the case'. At the same time, Portmore will get a new bridge considering that the life of the present bridge might not last long.
Citizens must also remember that non-residents of Portmore will be contributing substantially to the cost of that section of the highway and therefore all road users will be subsidising each portion of highway 2000 in different parts of the country. This makes sense since the highway will contribute to development around the island. This is what makes highways possible in the developed countries where many Jamaicans living or visiting pay toll charges without protest.
PORTMORE TOURISM
Highway 2000 has sparked new interest in more diverse tourism from Negril to Port Antonio. Portmore should be no exception. Portmore's own very informative website points to the possibilities. It is a site of early Arawak (Taino) settlements at Port Henderson Hill, Rodney's Arms, Wreck Point, Hellshire and Naggo Head. Portmore is also a part of English colonial history. The English landed at Passage Fort to capture Jamaica and Passage Fort became the area's first town acting as a transhipment point between Spanish Town, Port Royal and Kingston.
Old plantation estates were settled and forts at Port Augusta and Apostles Battery were built for defence. At one time the Portmore area was successful enough to have had about 4,500 residents before it silted up and decline set in.
In addition, there are events like Portmore Carnival and Hellshire Fish Fest, bathing beaches and a hotel strip. It has the only race track, the largest supermarket and covered mall, and the unrealised potential of the Forum Hotel. It seems to me that the highway will be a small price to pay for the incredible progress that awaits Portmore, progress that could realise Mayor George Lee's dream of making Portmore the country's greatest city.
Citizens should therefore concentrate on ensuring that the Highway is built as quickly as possible; costs are maintained within budget; environmental and security issues are addressed; laws for building zones are enforced; taxes are collected; investor-friendly and people-friendly development is pursued; and governance of the new municipality is able to cope with all of these new developments.
Portmore citizens should show the same emotion they are showing over tolls to a report that some $1million have been lost on the project due to the stealing of diesel oil by transport trucks. It is acts like these that drive up costs to companies and citizens. The least of Portmore's worries now should be the toll to be charged, especially when that has not even been decided. In its conception, Portmore was developed to ease the congestion of Kingston. The new bridge will bring further development to Portmore and ease Portmore's own congestion at the same time.
But the Portmore-Kingston bridge will also give further impetus to the development of downtown Kingston. The plans for the development of downtown Kingston mean that more road and sea traffic will follow this development making the highway link even more critical.
Portmore citizens need to see the bigger picture. This highway is not simply about a toll charge for Portmore citizens. It is part of a development thrust that will nourish Portmore, Kingston and wider areas. Others have paid the toll on the Old Harbour Bypass without complaint.
In fact, the last report on this said that fees earned had been significantly more than expected. People have seen the benefits of the road. I ask the citizens of Portmore to keep a cool head and see the bigger picture.
Robert Buddan lectures in the Department of Government, UWI, Mona. E-mail:robert.Buddan@uwimona.edu.jm
