House Passes Bill to Validate Actions of Portmore Council

A Bill to validate and indemnify the official activities of the Portmore Municipal Council and the Acting Mayor, Leon Thomas, was passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 15.

The Municipalities (Validation and Amendment) Act was piloted by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott.

Mr.Thomas has been acting in the post of Mayor since the passing of George Lee in September, 2013. Under the law, he should not have acted in that position for more than six months.

Mr. Arscott explained that the legislation “ensures confidence in the legitimate continuity of government at the municipal level by specifying the process to be implemented where the mayor or deputy mayor of a municipality is not capable of carrying out his or her functions for reasons stated in the Municipalities Act.”

The passage of the legislation also removes the need for a by-election thereby allowing Mr. Thomas to act as Mayor until the next Local Government elections.

Member of Parliament for South St. Catherine, Fitz Jackson, in voicing his support, said the Bill allows the Deputy Mayor to act until the people of Portmore went back to the polls.

“The Mayor of Portmore will always be a directly elected mayor and as such the Act reflects that and it captures the sentiments of the people in keeping with the genesis of the legislation,” Mr. Jackson said.

The Bill was passed with two amendments, and will be sent to the Senate for its approval.