Dawes boycotts further Portmore boundary talks as Terrelonge backs EOJ briefings

Dr. Alfred Dawes, Member of Parliament for St. Catherine South East, has pledged to stay away from any further sessions held to discuss boundary realignments tied to the planned creation of a Portmore parish.

The Electoral Office of Jamaica convened one such gathering yesterday, drawing elected officials and representatives from the three constituencies whose electoral maps would shift under the proposal.

Speaking with reporters afterward, a clearly upset Dawes again took aim at the government, accusing it of pressing ahead with the Portmore parish plan without meaningful input from stakeholders.

East Central St. Catherine MP Alando Terrelonge offered a different reading of the session. He said the meeting formed part of the EOJ's wider effort to brief elected representatives on the technical details of the proposed boundary changes, and confirmed that more sessions and site visits are scheduled.