Buchanan offers ‘conditional support’ for Portland bypass

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Member of Parliament (MP) for Portland Eastern Isat Buchanan has offered conditional support to the Port Antonio Bypass.

Buchanan, a first-term MP representing the People’s National Party, made his position known as he addressed the issue in the House of Representatives on Tuesday during his first contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate.

“Let me be very clear on the bypass, because my people are watching. I support the Port Antonio Bypass. Portland needs development. We need to decongest the town. we need to reduce travel time, we need to attract investment. So I say yes to the bypass,” Buchanan began.

“But - and this is a big but - not at the cost of disenfranchising the people of Portland Eastern,” he added.

“A bypass cannot become a way to bypass the people. You cannot build a road that takes away the livelihood of the vendors in Boundbrook, the taximen in Port Antonio square, the shopkeepers in Folly, the small hoteliers who depend on traffic passing through," Buchanan argued.

“You cannot compulsorily acquire poor people's land for pennies and then sell it for millions to big developers,” he remarked, prompting an intervention from the Minister of Works Robert Morgan who rose on a point of order. Morgan told the Parliament that the Government only acquires land for development at market rates and accused Buchanan of misleading the House.

When he continued his presentation Buchanan, a prominent attorney-at-law said, “I lay down these conditions for my support: no land grabbing; full, fair, market-value compensation for every Portland family whose land is affected, with legal aid provided by the State”.

He also wants community consultation, “not just town hall meetings for photo ops with limited information but real facts; economic inclusion with a guaranteed percentage of contracts, jobs and vending spaces on the bypass for Portland Eastern residents and businesses”.

Additionally, Buchanan said the bypass must include a clear development plan for the existing town of Port Antonio, “so Port Antonio town does not die”.

“Build the bypass, but build it with us, not over us. If you bypass the town, you will kill the town. If you include the town, you will build a parish,” said Buchanan.

— Lynford Simpson