PORUS, Manchester — Chairman of the 10,000 men and families’ movement and head of the Jamaica Renew Programme Bishop Rowan Edwards has joined calls for a westbound exit close to Porus on the May Pen to Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000.

“As I was driving to turn off to get to Porus from Spanish Town, I passed the exit that says Clarendon Park and I said to the driver, ‘There must be an exit that should take us to Porus’ and we drove and drove and discovered that there was no exit, so I begin to think that the people in Porus must be saying ‘poor us’,” Edwards said on Thursday at a prayer breakfast in Redberry, Porus.

“Because how could they have built such a beautiful highway and not consider making an exit that leads to Porus. They cut off the livelihood of Porus by making the highway, but left Porus hanging without an exit,” added Edwards.

The May Pen to Williamsfield leg includes approximately 23 kilometres of a four-lane, arterial divided highway on a new alignment and approximately five kilometres of the existing Melrose Hill Bypass, now a four-lane, rural, arterial divided highway. The highway which was opened in September 2023 remains toll-free.

Motorists travelling westbound from Kingston towards Mandeville can exit the highway at Toll Gate to get to Clarendon Park and then continue to Porus, but Edwards argued that option is not convenient.

“I think the people of Porus should rise to the occasion and make your voice be heard that the Government of this nation has left you out. They must put an exit; whatever the cost the exit must be made that takes the motoring public to Porus. I beg of you that this be done as quickly as possible,” said Edwards.

“All the political representatives, I think this is a good cause to rally around more so as Porus is ailing from crime and violence. Let Porus develop a sense of pride that at least an exit be made to take back some of the commerce to Porus,” added Edwards.

Motorists travelling between Mandeville and Porus continue to have direct access via the Melrose Hill Bypass which was incorporated into the highway.

— Kasey Williams