The Editor Sir,

Jamaica is infamous for nine-day wonders particularly when it comes to the Government versus the people and one such phenomenon is the toll road issue.

It is my understanding that a toll is a fixed charge or tax for access or privilege especially for passage across a bridge or along a road, in which Portmore so far fits this description perfectly well.

Why is it that the residents of Portmore should be subjected to the privilege of using a road which was their main thoroughfare to Kingston or other destination via Kingston?

In fact, isn't it that a thoroughfare by law is a right of passage or access by the public, or such right is not accorded to the residents of Portmore?

The toll road in effect is not much of a benefit to the residents as it is to the developers; when one takes into consideration the journey.

I would imagine that when the Government is involved, the scale should be balanced, if not, then the public at large should be favoured.

But since a cost has to be associated with the use of the road, then the residents should have been charged substantially less than other users who are using it for a "short cut".

The point here is that since the toll road was the resident's main route of sojourn to and from the nation's capital, a concessionary rate should have been charged. Oh, I am not a resident of Portmore!

I am, etc.,

JUNIOR CAMPBELL

Crankhangle@yahoo.co.uk