Wheatley Accuses PNP of Political Agenda in Resisting Portmore Parish Push

Member of Parliament for South Central St. Catherine, Dr. Andrew Wheatley is accusing the Opposition People’s National Party, PNP, of pushing a political agenda, as it resists the government’s plan to transform Portmore into the country’s 15th parish.

Opposition Spokesman with responsibility for matters concerning Portmore, Fitz Jackson says the move is part of the process of gerrymandering.

Gerrymandering means the manipulation of the boundaries of an electoral constituency in order to favour one party or class.

Dr. Wheatley says that’s not the case.

On Tuesday, the government tabled the Counties and Parishes Amendment Act, 2025 in the House of Representatives to officially name Portmore a parish.

This was a promise made by the Jamaica Labour Party in its manifesto ahead of the general election held in 2020.

Dr. Wheatley says the government intends to keep its commitment to the Jamaican people.

Dr. Andrew Wheatley, MP for South Central St. Catherine.

He was speaking during Nationwide at Five on Tuesday.

And MP for East Central St Catherine, Alando Terrelonge, says the PNP are jealous of the fact that they are not the ones leading the transition of Portmore into Jamaica’s newest parish.

Terrelonge says there are several irregularities that exist, which the parish status hopes to address.

Chief among them is providing an opportunity for all Portmore electors to vote for their mayor.

Alando Terrelonge, MP for East Central St Catherine.

Meanwhile, MP for South St. Catherine, Fitz Jackson maintains that more consultation is needed with the people of Portmore.

Jackson says the process will be severely undermined if the people in Portmore are denied a say in the transition.

Fitz Jackson, MP for South St Catherine.

Shaloy Smikle contributed to this report.