PORTMORE, St Catherine – George Lee is not backing away from his statement that illegal guns are being stockpiled in a division in the Portmore municipality.

At the same time, Lee, the mayor of Portmore and chairman of the municipal council, said he had not received an invitation to attend a meeting of Naggo Head residents this Sunday. But even if he did it would not make a difference.

“.I don’t see why I should have dialogue with the residents at this time, because I stand by the comments I made and I don’t see why the discussion,” Lee told the Observer.

The Naggo head residents, in what was believed to be a politically organised demonstration against Lee on Tuesday afternoon, called on the mayor to publicly apologise for his gun statement.

Lee, in the meanwhile, said he had met with the police to discuss an increase in crimes in the Naggo Head area.

Naggo Head is represented by the Jamaica Labour Party’s Andrew Wheatley, who told the Observer in a telephone interview that he was unaware of the demonstration in his division.

“I am not aware of anything of that nature taking place and therefore I can’t comment,” Wheatley said.

Last week, police superintendent Terrence Bent, the commanding officer of St Catherine South (Portmore), said the police were investigating the report that guns were being stockpiled in at least two Portmore communities.

“The mayor gave me certain information and the police are working on that information. What we are doing is confidential so far and so I will not comment,” Bent said.

On Tuesday, Vernon Salmon, president of the Naggo Head Citizens Association, said if Lee failed to attend Sunday’s meeting at the Naggo Head Primary School, they would be seeking legal advice.

“. He has libelled the entire community of Naggo Head because we are all law-abiding people here,” Salmon said.

“We live here and we don’t know of that which means there is no truth to the allegation and we need a formal apology from the mayor,” Salmon added.