Portland Residents Assess Municipal Corporation

As preparations for the General Elections intensify with campaigning across the island, voters in Portland are sharing their opinion on the Municipal Corporation. Many are citing that there are a number of deliverables yet to be completed. The concerns come over a week after Mayor Paul Thompson noted that the Municipal Corporation was trying its best to remain transparent.

“Previously some work was being done but since the by-election I don’t see any work being done,” says a Portland resident. “We don’t have any good roads. We need water in the pipes. We hardly get water. The last time I got some water was sometime in May. Water is in the area but none don’t come in my pipe. I don’t know why.”

Another resident shared,” they fix bridges, they are cleaning the drain, they make some little people getting work. They are  doing a lot of good for the environment.”

With the parish of Portland split into two constituencies: west and east – and further broken down into (9) nine divisions, Portland residents , especially those from the farming community, have mixed views on the effectiveness of the municipal corporation- saying more needs to be done.

“All of the farmers road dem inna bush and we have to go work every single day. They run some pipe in the road again and they need to bury them again because the donkey can’t climb over dem pipe deh,” shared a resident. “The farmers road dem very very bad.”

Mayor of Portland Paul Thompson says the municipal corporation has heard the concerns from the people. He adds that work is underway and focus will be placed on drains across some areas.