KINGSTON, Jamaica — Member of Parliament (MP) for St Catherine East Central, Alando Terrelonge is calling for Portmore Mayor Leon Thomas to retract his “baseless accusations” and publicly apologise to the women he “physically targeted with aggressive actions” during a contentious community meeting earlier this week.

Terrelonge made the call while condemning what he described as “deceptive claims” made by the mayor in a statement to address the events that unfolded at Tuesday night’s clash at the St Catherine Municipal Corporation to discuss Portmore’s parish status.

In his statement, Mayor Thomas blamed Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters for the disruption, claiming that they stormed the meeting, brandished placards and attempted to hijack the proceedings.

“Unfortunately, this important discussion was derailed when a group of JLP supporters, wearing green shirts bearing the names and images of MPs (Members of Parliament) Alando Terrelonge and Robert Miller, stormed the meeting, aggressively brandishing placards, chanting ‘showa Labourite’ and attempting to hijack the proceedings. Their disruptive behaviour caused distress among attendees, particularly elderly citizens present at the meeting. Witnesses even heard some of these individuals declaring that they were instructed to ‘mash up the meeting’,” Thomas said.

READ: Portmore mayor says JLP supporters ‘derailed’ community meeting on parish status

He also conceded that he removed placards from the hands of some protesters at the meeting to “restore order”. The mayor is reportedly now facing a police probe into allegations that he assaulted three women during the incident.

READ: Portmore mayor under investigation for alleged assault of women at contentious meeting

However, on Thursday, Terrelonge criticised the mayor’s response claiming that his statement is not only “riddled with falsehoods” but represents a “desperate attempt to mislead the public and sow division through blatant political propaganda”.

“The mayor’s allegations of Jamaica Labour Party supporters, allegedly wearing shirts bearing MP Terrelonge’s name and storming the meeting, are outright false. Not a single individual wearing a Terrelonge shirt or image was present, nor did anyone barge into the meeting as falsely claimed. In reality, it was supporters aligned with the People’s National Party (PNP) who disrupted the proceedings, heckling and creating chaos, clear acts of political provocation aimed at derailing meaningful dialogue,” the MP said in his own address.

He continued, “The mayor’s labelling of anyone who supports Portmore becoming a parish as a troublemaker or political activist is a slap in the face of all hardworking taxpayers who want more for the growth and development of Portmore. His reckless attempt to paint residents who support parish status as labourites or aggressors is a calculated act of deception — an outright insult to the people of Portmore.”

Calling the event a “political meeting disguised as a stakeholders’ forum”, Terrelonge said attendees saw through the façade and instead supported the many benefits outlined for Portmore’s parish status. He said it was only when this support became evident that the mayor and his activists disrupted the proceedings.

“Even more alarming is the mayor’s blatant attempt to detract from the real issue by targeting female residents who peacefully exercised their democratic right to hold placards expressing their desire for Portmore to become a parish. These women, visible in videos from the meeting, posed no threat to anyone. They were neither disruptive nor chaotic, unlike the mayor and his PNP activists, who shouted and heckled throughout the event,” Terrelonge said.

“This calculated attack on peaceful residents highlights Mayor Thomas’ disregard for democratic values and his willingness to use deception to further his political agenda. His actions not only undermine the voices of the people but also reflect a deeper pattern of destructive leadership that Portmore cannot afford,” he added.

The MP said the governing JLP remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting Portmore’s journey toward parish status and ensuring that the voices of residents are heard and respected.