PORT ANTONIO, Portland — Councillor Orton Manahan (Jamaica Labour Party, Hope Bay Division) has sought to dispel suggestions, which he said were made on social media, that powerful individuals have taken control of the popular Boston Beach.

For years the facility has been the venue for Boston Jerk Festival, hosted by Colin Bell, who once had ambitions of representing the People’s National Party in Portland Eastern.

During last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the Portland Municipal Corporation, Manahan expressed surprise that the agenda made no mention of the facility’s expired lease and plans for the way forward.

He said the topic had provided fodder during the September 3 General Election campaign and he was concerned that inaccurate information in the public domain may lead to larger issues if left unaddressed.

The councillor reminded his colleagues that, during a January meeting, the local authority was advised by the owner of the property, the National Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA), that Bell’s more-than-10-year “lease agreement was terminated, or ended or expired in July of 2024”.

According to Manahan, the information was presented in a letter from the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) to Megan Henry-Bramwell who was then acting CEO of the municipal corporation.

“I am absolutely sure that was communicated in that letter. Also communicated in that letter is that at a subsequent meeting of a subcommittee of the NRCA, it was agreed that approaches would be made so that the Portland Municipal Corporation would accept temporary management of the facility. That is how I understand it to be,” said Manahan.

“I don’t understand the misinformation, as in who owns the beach or what [is] the purpose of the beach. I don’t understand that, and it is in the public domain and it is on social media,” he added.

Manahan questioned whether the corporation had been ineffective in communicating with the wider public.

“I’m sure [NRCA] must have given a reason why they didn’t renew the lease [of] Mr Bell. I’m absolutely sure. I’m sure it is not the reason that a big man is going to own the beach or they are going to take away the beach from the people there. Because that is what is being [said], and I think it’s really unfortunate,” said Manahan.

“I would really like to put that on record. Because I think it does a disservice to the people of the parish because it allows people to have this antagonistic behaviour in their hearts, and it doesn’t need to be there. We are filling people with disinformation… we have to do something,” urged Manahan.

He pointed to similar misinformation when work was being done on the Blue Lagoon, sparking concern that locals would no longer have access.

“Every single day, people go to that place. Everybody has access to it,” he said of the Blue Lagoon.

He closed by again hammering home his point that local authorities need to ensure the public is aware of the status of Boston Beach.

“I just like to put on record that the Boston Beach, as it relates now, is not owned or operated by Mr Bell, and the reason is that his lease has been terminated. I am absolutely sure. Therefore, the municipal corporation is being asked to take over temporary management. We probably need to try and inform the public a little bit more,” Manahan recommended.

The Boston Jerk Centre in Portland

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