MINISTER of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie has announced that the Portland Municipal Corporation will be getting a new building soon.

Addressing a special meeting of the corporation in Port Antonio on May 3, the minister said the time has come for the councillors to move out of the old building.

“The technical team at the ministry has been instructed to meet with the technical team here, and to commence discussions in identifying [and] preparing the design for the construction of a new municipal building,” he pointed out.

McKenzie told the councillors that the construction cost of the new building will have to be shared.

“The cost of this construction will be borne by the ministry and the municipality. It can’t be alone from the ministry, because of demand that is there,” the minister said.

He said although previous suggestions were made for the rental of a building in the parish, he believes it is wiser for the construction of their own building on land owned by the municipality.

“I am hoping that by the end of this quarter of the (fiscal) year, going down later in this year, we will be well advanced with the drawings and everything that is going to be required for us to commence this long-overdue construction of a new municipal building for Portland,” he said.

After his address, the minister presented tablet computers to Mayor of Port Antonio Paul Thompson, nine councillors and seven poor-relief staff members, to carry out their duties more effectively.