PNP sues Jamaican government over Portmore parish legislation

The People’s National Party (PNP) has taken legal action against the Government’s decision to designate Portmore as Jamaica’s 15th parish, filing a lawsuit in the Constitutional Court on Monday.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding, in his contribution to the 2025-2026 Budget Debate in Parliament on Tuesday, described the legislation as a “dangerous affront to our democracy which must be vigorously resisted by all lawful means at our disposal.”

Despite warnings from the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) that the move could breach the Constitution, the Government used its legislative majority to push the law through in February. The bill received the Senate’s approval on February 28 after being passed in the House of Representatives on February 11.

The ECJ had cautioned both Parliament and the Ministry of Local Government that the proposed parish boundary for Portmore might violate constitutional provisions. In a formal letter, the ECJ cited the Constitution’s requirement that “the boundary of a constituency shall not cross the boundary of a parish as delimited by the Counties and Parishes Act or by any law amending or replacing that law.” The commission further pointed out that the proposed parish of Portmore would impact four constituencies, 13 electoral divisions, and nearly 400 polling divisions in St. Catherine. The letter also raised concerns about inconsistencies in the boundary descriptions, particularly in areas near Salt Island Creek and Galleon Harbour.