KINGSTON, Jamaica —Member of Parliament for St Catherine East Central, Alando Terrelonge, has welcomed the move by the Supreme Court to lift an injunction against the government to enforce the Counties and Parishes (Amendment) Act, 2025, to make Portmore the country’s 15th parish.

Terrelonge, in a statement on Friday, declared the ruling a “win for the people of Portmore and the Government of Jamaica”.

“After hearing arguments from both the opposition’s legal team and the government’s attorneys on Friday [March 28], Chief Justice Bryan Sykes ruled against the application for an injunction and accepted the government’s position that the act making Portmore the 15th parish would only come into operation after the completion of the procedure outlined in section 67 of the Constitution,” Terrelonge said in the statement.

Terrelonge lauded the chief justice’s decision and emphasised that the concerns raised by the opposition in relation to constituency boundary adjustments “are just another clear example of the opposition’s small-mindedness and lack of vision for the growth and development of Portmore”.

He added that “the opposition’s inability to appreciate the historic and transformative decision to make Portmore the 15th parish demonstrates that ‘time come’ for the people of Portmore to recognise that all they do is oppose and oppose and are unwilling to act in the best interest of the people of Jamaica”.

“This is a win for the people of Portmore! Parish status is something I have championed, and this government will continue to take the necessary administrative steps to deliver on this promise in keeping with the wishes of the people. Parish status also gives the residents of Portmore complete autonomy from St Catherine, allowing control over local development, improved infrastructure planning and better resource management to serve our growing population while providing enhanced opportunities for residents and businesses. We are not turning back,” Terrelonge emphasised.

However, the People’s National Party (PNP), which brought the government to court for passing the legislation, says it has been vindicated in the legal challenge.

Fitz Jackson, opposition spokesman with responsibility for matters concerning Portmore, in a statement on Friday, said: “The recent court order requiring the government to provide an unequivocal undertaking not to proceed with the implementation of the Counties and Parishes (Amendment) Act, 2025, until full compliance with Section 67 of the Constitution, is a clear vindication of the People’s National Party’s position.”

Jackson said the court has affirmed that “the government was attempting to move forward in blatant breach of the constitutional process”.

“This legal action, initiated by the PNP, was necessary to hold the government accountable after it chose to ignore a letter dated June 18, 2024, sent to Parliament by the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, which explicitly advised of this constitutional breach. The government’s disregard for both the commission’s warning and the rule of law left us with no choice but to seek judicial intervention. The fact that the Court has compelled the Government to give an undertaking—effectively halting their unlawful actions—demonstrates the seriousness of their disregard for due process,” he added.

Jackson concluded that: “This victory is not just for the PNP but for every Jamaican who believes in justice, accountability, and the sanctity of our laws. We urge the government to respect the Constitution and to adhere to the proper procedures in all matters of governance. The PNP will continue to defend the rights of all Jamaicans and uphold the laws of the land as laid out by the Constitution.”

READ: Court grants injunction against Portmore becoming parish