KINGSTON, Jamaica — Adding his voice to the ongoing Portmore debate, People’s National Party (PNP) Spokesperson Damion Crawford has credited PNP co-founder Norman Washington Manley with the establishment of the “Sunshine City”.

He was speaking at a political meeting at the Portmore HEART Academy on Sunday.

Addressing party supporters, Crawford criticised recent claims that the city of Portmore was the vision of Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Edward Seaga, noting it was the “biggest lie” he had ever heard.

People’s National Party (PNP) Spokesperson Damian Crawford addresses a PNP meeting at Portmore HEART Academy on Sunday. (Photo: Llewellyn Wynter)

“They said that Portmore, the Sunshine City, was the vision of Edward Seaga. If it was Edward Seaga, it wouldn’t be called the Sunshine City. It would be called the Belltown City. So I have to remind them that it was Norman Washington Manley that formed the Portmore Development Company and build the dikes and build the causeway and dump up Portmore so that it could be ready for housing. So I say to the labourites, please stop the lying. Please stop the deceit. Please stop the capping,” Crawford said.

Outlining his interest in Portmore being granted parish status, Crawford noted that his vote is in the Sunshine City and said, “I nah talk for nobody but myself.”

He continued, “I know in 2023 Chris Tufton said it wasn’t a priority and all of a sudden he has found land for the hospital. I never know Jamaica would have found a Christopher worse than Columbus,” Crawford said.

“But since a promise fi promise, I find land for a university in Portmore too,” he added.

On Friday, the Senate voted to pass the Counties and Parishes (Amendment) Act 2025 granting parish status to the municipality. All 10 Government senators present voted yes with all four Opposition senators voting no.

Like it did in the House of Representatives on February 11, the governing JLP used its superior numbers in the Upper House to push through the bill.

READ: Senate passes Bill to make Portmore Jamaica’s 15th parish

The Opposition spokesperson also used the platform to highlight what he described as the originality of his party.

“There is a reason why the first black man to be elected prime minister come from the People’s National Party. There’s a reason why the first woman to be prime minister come from the People’s National Party. There is a reason why the first man with locs in Parliament come from the People’s National Party.

“So when I hear dem a seh, JLP have Rasta too, mi seh that a too,” Crawford said.

(Video: Llewellyn Wynter)