JPs stage walkout against Sally Porteous

BY ALICIA SUTHERLAND Observer staff reporter sutherlanda@jamaicaobserver.com

Friday, January 20, 2012

MANDEVILLE, Manchester — A demonstration against the appointment of Sally Porteous as new Custos of Manchester and a walkout by some justices of the peace as she rose to speak, marred the half-yearly meeting of the Manchester Chapter of the Lay Magistrates Association of Jamaica yesterday.

Justices of the Peace, including lay magistrates, arrived for their meeting to find about 25 placard-bearing protesters at the entrance to the Golf View Hotel where the meeting was held.

During the meeting a minority of those in attendance walked out as Porteous, a former Jamaica Labour Party Councillor for the Mandeville Division and a caretaker for Central Manchester, rose to bring greetings.

The walkout followed the departure of new Justice Minister Mark Golding who delivered the main address at the meeting without referring to the appointment of Porteous as parish custos late last year.

Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding controversially recommended Porteous to the governor general as custos of Manchester ahead of Mandeville businessman Calvin Lyn who had been acting in the role. Porteous was hastily sworn in as a justice of the peace prior to the appointment.

She is to be formally sworn in as custos next Thursday.

The appointment caused extreme disquiet among justices of the peace in Manchester who felt it was politically motivated and an affront to long-serving JPs.

Some placards yesterday reflected the concerns: "Sally is a political activist", "We have no confidence in Sally", "No Bully for Custos," "GG/PM Please correct the wrong, no Sally for Custos", "One day Councillor, next day JP/Custos, No way."

Following the departure of Golding who was said to have a prior engagement, Porteous went to the mike to give 'greetings'. Some people immediately got to their feet and left as part of what was described as a "planned" protest to show their dissatisfaction about her appointment.

A combative Porteous later told the Observer she would not give up her appointment as custos. Those JPs who did not want to work with her should resign, she said.

"I have never practised political victimisation. What has happened is that there is an underlying current of those who perhaps have still not accepted that they are not going to be custos. Whatever it is that you are doing in this childish, underhand, nasty little manner it's too late. My appointment took effect on November 15; my swearing-in ceremony is next week Thursday. That's just the ceremonial part of an appointment that has already gone through," Porteous said.

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COMMENTS (12)

chloe d
1/21/2012

Anthony Johnson dont be hypocritical. Porteous appointment was a political one. I am ashamed of her stand on the issue. In a few short months she resigned as a councillor was made a JP and instantaneously appointed custos . Is something not wrong there.

Justin Wright
1/20/2012

No Sally stay and be insulted, betrayed, and be isolated. Your apointment was wrong, wrong in the first, double wrong in the second. Is this woman so blinded with power greed that she really failed to see, the wrong that was enacted on these long serving JPs'. Will someone please step in and settle this one sided-affair, and do not allow this farce to continue. No matter what, how, where, when, and why, this woman must take heed that her appointment was just too overnight. Its wrong sally, wrong

Anthony Johnson
1/20/2012

I think we should split the country in half. Give PNP the North coast and JLP the South coast or vice versa. Put up a border like North and South Korea and let each party run their side. I bet you that the JLP side would have strong economic growth, prosperity and little or no crime. While the PNP side would have nuff "eat a food" people, high crime, dilapidated buildings, nuff ghetto and poor education. For me, Jamaica will never be better with PNP at the head, so all you bloggers stop trying.

Anton Ravenfort
1/20/2012

If the protest is that staunch why stay there

norris Richards
1/20/2012

Sally should stand firm against these PNP tribalist activities. No surprise Dr Pillips said this country is head to be another Haiti in the Caribbean. All these justice of pease who are demonstarting should be investiged to vet their qualification.

Sonny Black
1/20/2012

Here we go again, some fighting for the PNP some fighting for the JLP no one fighting for Jamaica. So what if the lady was appointed by the former government exactly what is the problem. But this is Jamaica one step forward three steps backward maybe we should just divide the country in two, half to the JLP/One Order half to the PNP/Klansman and solve the problem since we are celebrating our fifty years as an Independent state.

Real Estate
1/20/2012

Those ugly cardboard signs! Yuk!

wanda woeman
1/20/2012

Mrs. Porteous seems to be pouring oil on troubled waters here. Instead of adopting this combative attitude she would get more people on her side by being less confrontational. She should ask that they give her a chance to prove her mettle before pre-judging her. After all the protesters do have a point.
It will be difficult to work with Justices without their co-operation and for her to say that those who don’t want to work with her can resign is very out of order and rude. After all she did not appoint them and many of them have been giving service for many, many years. She should apologize. With her experience she must know that you can catch a lot of flies with honey.

george watson
1/20/2012

To prevent such an embarrassing episode in future maybe a J.P. should have to hold the office for a presescribed period of time before he or she can be appointed Custos. Also the incoming Custos will have to be endorsed either by the Lay Magistrates’ Association of Jamaica or a Custodes Association. Maybe the recommendati9on could come from the Parish Justices. Certainly it should not come from the political directorate.

Authnel Reid
1/20/2012

Sally Portuous: "Those JPs who did not want to work with me should resign". I agree. In registering their protest they all should have resigned when Sally Portuous' appointment was announced. The appointment was underhanded and a slap in the face of those who followed the long standing tradition of appointing the Custos.

Elli Deedo
1/20/2012

Sally porteous is a strong supporter of the JLP, she being allowed to serve as Custos can be a danger to progress. My advise to her is to pack her bags and go with her defeated party supporters; follow the footsteps of Golding and others and go. This political favour granted to her by Golding must not be endorsed, just cannot be approved.We need a custos who is with the governance, and not one who oppose's to. I will urge my supporters to continue the fight against her. Good bye sally!!:)

patrick small
1/20/2012

Sally take a hint and step down, your appointment was political and you knew it. This is one reason why the JLP loss the election; their politicizing of the country. You were never a Justice of the Peace, you were sworn in as a JP to get the position of Custos .... If i were you i would no longer accept the position. its the honorable thing to do....

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JPs stage walkout against Sally Porteous