A delegation from the Portmore/Hellshire community yesterday presented a 4,200-signature petition to Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, seeking her intervention in addressing what the group described as the "unjust situation facing us as a result of the conversion of the Portmore causeway to a toll road".

The residents are seeking a reduction of the toll charge to $30 for class one vehicles and $70 for class two vehicles. The current charges are $60 and $100, respectively.

The eight-point petition presented to the Prime Minister is also seeking a 24-month moratorium on any increase in the toll rate.

In an immediate response, the Prime Minister charged Development Minister Donald Buchanan with the responsibility of chairing a team comprising representatives of the Ministry of Housing, Transport, Water and Works, the National Works Agency, TransJamaican Highway, and the National Road Operating and Constructing Company Ltd., to meet with a group from the Portmore community to discuss the petition and put forward their recommendation for consideration by Cabinet.

Dialogue welcome

Mrs. Simpson Miller praised the residents for the responsible manner in which they have dealt with their concerns and said the dialogue and understanding were welcome.

Representing the Portmore citizens at the meeting were Yvonne McCormack, of the Portmore Citizens' Advisory Council; Byron Buckley of the All Hellshire Leadership Council; Howard Hamilton of the Greater Portmore Joint Citizens' Association and Dolkeith Harriott.