Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
Lee
THE PORTMORE Citizens' Advisory Council is finding it hard to get the funding it needs to start legal proceedings to retain the Portmore causeway as an alternative to the Portmore leg of Highway 2000.
Reverend Barrington Soares, chairman of the council, told The Gleaner that the body would be doing its best to collect the $500,000 in legal fees. This, he said, involved working with citizens' associations and setting up collection points across the community.
He said that the group has opened a bank account for residents to deposit their contributions. The account number is 03-00-116 at the Bank of Nova Scotia branch in Greater Portmore.
SUPPORT US FINANCIALLY
"We are urging Portmore residents to come out and support us financially," he said.
The council has also secured the services of attorney-at-law Lord Anthony Gifford, and is planning to file a suit in the courts within the next week and a half.
If the council goes through with its action, this would be the second suit to have been filed in relation to the Portmore toll road. On March 14, residents backed by the Jamaica Labour Party, filed a suit in the Supreme Court, seeking an order to bar the government from implementing a toll for the use of the Portmore causeway. They also sought an order to prevent the Government from demolishing the Hunts Bay Bridge.
But Councillor George Lee, mayor of Portmore, said that he is still convinced that the Government could prevent a court battle with residents of Portmore if they come to the table and negotiate.
"I still believe that the way to do it is to put all the cards on the table," he said. The issues to be negotiated include upgrading the Mandela Highway as well as providing a subsidised toll.
"As soon as possible, the ministry should start the dialogue process with residents of Portmore," he said.
The Government is expected to report on the findings of a high-level team investigating the issue by next week. Consisting of the National Road Operating and Construction Company, TransJamaican Highway Limited and Bouygues, the group was charged by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson to complete a study on a range of issues relating to the Portmore leg of Highway 2000.
