One of the biggest nuisances to drivers in Jamaica is the never ending problem with potholes. We are happy to see some token improvement in Port Antonio but would hope to see some improvement on the roads to and from the city. To the east, we notice there are still some holes that were cut out by contractors nearly a year ago that remain unfilled and are more of a hazard than they were before. To make a trip to Kingston from Port Antonio via St. Thomas is a complete disaster. We suggest carrying more than one spare inasmuch as making this trip “uneventfully” is not likely.

 

Port Antonio Mayor Floyd Patterson is asking Portland stakeholders such as the Chamber of Commerce to join with him and others in a delegation to Santiago de Cuba to renew a “Sister City” twining programme which has been idle for many years. A plan to visit the Cuban city in early July had to be delayed in order to arrange appropriate financing and planning for the event. The community had received a formal invitation from Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica Yuri Gala Lopez to visit during Santiago’s Fire Festival July 3-9, but financial constraints and overbooked hotels in Cuba forced a delay. It is now expected the trip will be rescheduled for late August or September to maximize the number of stakeholders that can attend.

 

By the time you read this, all present members of the Chamber should have their dues renewal notices in hand (invoices). Please facilitate the work of our new office manager, Dania Wilson, by paying up promptly. If you did not receive your notice or have any questions on the amount, etc., please contact Dania at 378-6542. You will receive a proper membership certificate, suitable for framing, when your dues payment is current.

 

The monthly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is set for 5:30 p.m., Thursday, July 14, at the Errol Flynn Marina, according to Fred DeTroy, president. All officers and directors are asked to attend this important session.

 

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‘GUARDIAN’ ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS AREA-

We are pleased to read such high praise for our area as appeared in the Guardian of July 8- entitled: “Jamaica? We went on our own accord – “ The author details how a trip to Jamaica doesn’t have to mean hiding away in a resort and recommends to try hanging out with the locals in the “Eden-like Portland Parish.” To view the entire article on Portland from the Guardian, go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/jul/08/jamaica-family-beach-holiday-portland One correction from the article, the writer alludes the movie “Blue Lagoon” with Brooke Shields was filmed in Portland. It was not. It was filmed entirely in Fiji. This seems to be a myth perpetuated by the hustlers at the Blue Lagoon site. Probably the only connection with the movie is the world “blue”. Originally known as the “Blue Hole’ the name was modified to capitalize on the movie fame. Thanks to Chamber director Edith Smith for bringing the Guardian article to our attention.

Our Chamber office needs your help. We will shortly be announcing a paint-up, clean-up, fix-up day or two at our offices which we share with the Portland Parish Development Committee. If you can assist us with either donations of paint , product or your own , labour please get in touch with Directors Carlos Gordon or Daney-Ann Thomas. We are in need of various office items including a cash box, trash cans, fan, printer cartridges, business cards and stationery, among other things. A number of donations for the office have already been pledged.

 

New members approved at the June meeting of the board of directors includes Ken Rouche and Patrick Lee. Ken is the author of the recently published book on the area entitled “Portland, the Other Jamaica” copies of the book are available at Things Jamaican at the Errol Flynn Marina and from General Business Services Ltd., in the Singer Building. Patrick Lee is the proprietor of Lee’s Maxi Mart which is located in the town square on the ground floor below LaBest Night Club.

Periodic rain throughout the day failed to deter numerous scores of visitors to the Folly Mansion Grounds for the annual Portland Jerk Festival July 3. Scandal bags were the order of the day as resourceful Jamaicans turned them into temporary water shoes and didn’t for even a minute let the weather dampen the festivities.

UPCOMING HOLIDAYS - Jamaica will celebrate it’s freedom from the Colonial shackles when it marks Emancipation Day on Monday, August 1. This is followed on Saturday, August 6, by our Independence Day.

 

Several stakeholders in the Portland area have been banding together to develop a plan for the future development of the park that has been started on Palm Avenue adjacent to the old railway turntable and trainman’s barracks. The project was initiated by Mayor Floyd Patterson in association with the Port Authority of Jamaica and NEPM Waste Management. Mayor Patterson was recently successful in saving the turntable and several adjacent railway relics from the cutting torches of metal scrappers in hopes of establishing a park that focuses on the history of Port Antonio and Portland. The Chamber of Commerce salutes the Mayor for spearheading this project and pledges its support of the plan.

 

While your editor will try to publish everything that is newsworthy each month, he simply cannot know about every event that is happening in Portland so we must rely on our readers for input Please! We plan to publish Chamber Chatter early in each month so consider getting us information by the first week every month. We also solicit comments from our readers about issues that need to be brought to our attention. Pro or con, your editor is very thick skinned (not thick headed) and welcomes any and all comments.

There are those among us that feel the Jamaican Government treats Portland like the “bastard son at a family reunion.” In other words, we get pretty much totally ignored. Oh yes, we get the occasional lip service from visiting ministers and parliamentarians, but when it comes to actually delivering on various promises, they are soon forgotten and lost in the bureaucracy. A few have suggested following suit to what the Florida Keys did some years back to get the attention of the USA Government. The Department of Homeland Security had set up a checkpoint in Florida City where the US mainland started and the Florida keys ended to check for so-called illegals. It was essentially like reentering the USA from abroad and mandated you have proper documentation. They were even checking the car ashtrays! It caused such a backup of traffic in both north and south directions that people got disgusted and just turned around and went home, massively impacting business throughout the Keys. Failing to get any action from the government, the Key West Mayor sought an injunction to stop the checkpoint. When this failed he read a proclamation of secession on the courthouse steps and the Conch Republic was formed. They subsequently declared war against the USA; immediately went to Fort Jefferson and surrendered and then made application for foreign aid. Folks from the Keys became known as “conchs” and they sure got the attention of the US government and the Florida City checkpoint was soon removed. Curiously, the Conch Republic has its own Navy and even issues Diplomatic and Regular Passports which one can order on its website. Curiously, Jamaica is listed as one of the countries that has honoured the Conch Republic passport. We are certainly not suggesting declaring the “Republic of Portland”; but something is obviously needed to get our Government’s attention!

 

PORTLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (ltd.)

P.O. Box 93 - 2 Harbour Street

Port Antonio, Portland, Jamaica, West Indies

www.portland.org.jm [email protected]

876-426-9098

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