- NORMAN GRINDLEY/Deputy Chief Photographer
Joseph Dalrymple (centre), one of the organiser's, along with other residents of Portmore, stage a peaceful demonstration yesterday morning on the Causeway to oppose the toll set by government. At right, Pickersgill.
Leonardo Blair, Staff Reporter
ROBERT PICKERSGILL, minister of transport and works, flatly denied allegations that government employees on the executive body the Portmore Joint Citizens' Association were threatened that they could lose their jobs if they went ahead with protest action over the toll road yesterday.
"Anybody who said that in relation to me, they would be liars!" said Minister Pickersgill in an interview with The Sunday Gleaner. "I have threatened no one, and if anybody in my ministry did any such thing, they have no authority to do so as it is not a part of government policy."
Despite the denial, however, some Portmore residents claim that they were told of threats to executive members of the citizens' movement in that community.
STEP ASIDE
"The executive members of the Portmore Joint Citizens' Association told us that they had been threatened that if they get involved in planning the protest their jobs would be on the line," said Andrea Barrett-James, president of the Portmore Pines Citizens' Association. "The Joint Citizens' Association president Mr. Sean Barrow had to step aside because of the threats," she added. Mr. Barrow was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Other sources among yesterday's protesters were adamant: "We have members of the association, working with the government who have been threatened. People have been called into meetings in the public service and have been told that it's either 'the work or the toll road,'"
The residents also claimed that the minister had said he was willing to meet with them, but only if they decided to call off the protest.
"On Thursday, he (Minister Pickersgill) called the Joint Association saying that he was available for a meeting, however he stated that he would not meet if we decided to go ahead with the protest," said one source.
The minister also denied this allegation. "I told them (executives) that I would be happy to meet with them, then I discovered that they were going ahead with the protest anyway. That (allegation) is ridiculous. But I really don't want anybody to think that the way to get a meeting is to demonstrate," said the minister.
Eddie Bailey, former president of the Jamaica Civil Service Association said he was unaware of the threats and pointed out that citizens had a right to protest as a part of their civic duty whether or not they are public servants. In the meantime, the protest action by the Portmore residents yesterday tapered off peacefully with about 200 participants and approving motorists who honked horns in support of the action.
PAYING FOR PROGRESS
"Tell the government say that if we are paying for progress, then they should make the whole of Jamaica pay," said one protester.
"We are disappointed with our political representatives. What has been negotiated in this contract is not in the best interest of the Portmore residents," said Norman Blake, a resident of Portmore for more than 25 years.
It was also pointed out during the protest that the legal team representing the Portmore citizens could be filing an injunction against the project as early as this week.
The residents maintain that the government's offer of the Mandela Highway as an alternative route to the Portmore Causeway which will attract a toll charge come 2006 is unsuitable and are demanding that the existing causeway be left to them as the alternative route.
But according to Minister Pickersgill: "That is a tall order. I am willing to meet with them to discuss things which I am sure we have gone over already, but that is really a tall order."
Last July, at a meeting in the St. Catherine community, scores of angry Portmore residents declared that they were prepared to fight "tooth, nail and lawsuit" against the proposed plan for a $65 per-trip toll charge across the high-speed six-lane bridge currently being constructed by the French company Bouygues Travaux Publics.
