LAST FRIDAY, Portmore residents opposed to the imposition of a toll road linking their St. Catherine community to the Corporate Area, staged a protest outside the office of the Minister of Transport and Works, Robert Pickersgill.
This is the latest salvo in a running battle between the residents and the authorities responsible for the development of a tolled highway and
six-lane bridge to replace the existing structure.
As the minister with portfolio responsibility for transport and roads, Mr. Pickersgill has been bearing the brunt of the criticism by Portmore
residents. And the protest march on his Maxfield Avenue office has placed him further in a pickle.
The protestors say he has been a vacillating minister who has not been responding with urgency to their interest. He, of course, has denied the charge. Nevertheless, he has been painted into a corner and an antagonistic relationship has developed between himself and the Portmore community leaders.
If the residents carry through their threat to take the matter to court, then it is likely that the transport minister could formally become a disputant in the matter.
In light of this and with his credibility, regarding this issue, waning, we believe Minister Pickersgill should step aside and recommend to Prime Minister P.J. Patterson that a mediator be appointed to conduct negotiations with Portmore community leaders.
Contrary to what has been conveyed by utterances of road officials, these negotiations are necessary because the highway development is impinging on the way of life of over 160,000 people. That is just the way of modern urban planning and development.
Matters for negotiation should include the provision of a suitable alternative to the toll road, which is a requirement of the Toll Road Act. The exit from Portmore to the Mandela Highway suffers from severe traffic congestion at the Dyke Road roundabout during peak hours. This, therefore, may disqualify that route as an alternative to the new toll road next to Kingston Harbour.
Another point for negotiation is the establishment of concessionary toll rates for Portmore motorists, which would make more affordable, multiple trips per day. The prime minister has already instructed that this be done.
Negotiations could also include the payment of part of the Government's take of toll revenue to the Portmore Municipality Council. This amount could be used by the Council to subsidise toll rates for a time and maintain green areas.
Much of the misunderstanding about the Portmore highway development, we believe, are as a result of a serious deficiency in communication and information dissemination.
The road developers, local and foreign partners, must be rapped for not doing more in this area. A simple thing like billboards with diagrams of the proposed highway as well as the contingent port expansion plan would go a far way in influencing the public debate.
