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Members of Parliament seated in Parliament ahead of Prime Minister Andrew Holness‘ budget presentation on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
It’s round one to the People’s National Party (PNP) after the Supreme Court on Thursday granted an injunction brought by the Opposition which temporarily blocks the Government from declaring Portmore Jamaica’s 15th parish.
The order was issued by Chief Justice Bryan Sykes. He ordered the disputing parties back to court on March 28.
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The Parliament has already debated and passed the Counties and Parishes (Amendment) Bill 2025, effectively giving parish status to Portmore.
However, the Opposition voted against the measure in both houses of the Parliament, arguing among other things, that it was an attempt at gerrymandering by the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to give itself a political advantage.
The Chief Justice’s orders include an interim injunction until the matter is heard, preventing Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie from naming a date for the law to take effect.
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The Attorney General was given until next Wednesday March 26 at noon to respond to the PNP's affidavit while the PNP was given until March 27 to make any additional filings.
The parties will return to court next week Friday at 2 pm when the matter will again be before Justice Sykes.
The PNP has also argued that if enacted, the law granting parish status would be “immediately unconstitutional” as only the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) can determine electoral boundaries.
A former ECJ Chairman and a former Director of Elections have warned that if the law was enacted before the upcoming general election, the country would be faced with a constitutional crisis.
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