Newsletter: Number 7 for 2006  
Publication Date: June 21, 2006
Title: Boycott or Not!
Editor: Kennedy Reid 
Subscribers: 
Sign up: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/portmore_newsletter/
Reply to: webmaster@portmore.org
Web site: http://www.portmore.org
Phone: 876-320-7343 




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Boycott or Not!
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Dear readers, I am so sorry that I have not been sending 
out these newsletters, but mi suh busy.
I did not even get to attend the public meeting 
concerning the toll as I was chairing the Daytona Citizens 
Association's AGM.

Anyway, does anyone have pictures and comments on the meeting
to share with us?

I understand that the attendees decided to boycott the Portmore
leg of Highway2000 for the summer months (when 
the school rush period is off). While I applaud the 
guts of this move, I think the citizens are in 
for another disappointment. 

Firstly, not everyone will join the effort. There are persons
will pay and have no sympathy with the cause. Then those who do 
Join the boycott well soon be frustrated with the jammed Mandela 
Highway and turn to the toll road.

Secondly, you can not boycott a road for which there is no 
Alternative! Remember we are supposed to  claiming that there 
is "no suitable alternative route to Highway 20000!" 
Therefore if the boycott succeeds, it would prove that 
there WAS indeed a viable alternate route after all! No 
rational person could think this… so back to the Highway.  

Thirdly, when the boycott fails (and it will), the 
authorities will quickly claim that they have the 
support of the MAJORITY of residents! This would be a true
propaganda victory. Listen for this as early as Friday!

Finally, the most important reason for my doubts...
Is that few persons can tell their boss that he is hours 
late for work because he is protesting a $60 
dollars toll! Certainly not I! 

I wish Portmore success, but I wonder if another, more effective,
Method had been selected to make a point. 

We shall see.

Below are long term ways to avoid paying the toll...

1) Buy a motor bike! It consumes low gas and cuts thru traffic.
2) Carry your neighbours for a small toll
3) Stay in town pass peak hours then use the Mandela Highway. 
4) Park the SUV in Kingston. 
5) Move to Kingston or stay over night.
6) Teach the grown kids to take the public transportation (I did)
   and carry the little ones with them.
7) The Municipality must deliberately attract businesses and offices
   into Portmore. 
8) Carry your own drink and  food to work so you can pay the toll.
9) Pressure the government to forego profits from the highway
    and reduce the toll.



 


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Cheapskates!
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Date: Wed, 31 May 2006  
From: portmo@portmore.org     
To: webmaster@portmore.org 
Subject: Message from Front page 
    
PORTMORE SUCKS!
YOU ALL ARE READY TO SPEND HEAVILY TO GO TO THE PRIVY 
COUNCIL YET YOU CAN'T FIND A LITTLE CHANGE TO PAY 
THE TOLL

CHEAPSKATES! 							 

===================
WEBMASTER'S COMMENT
===================

Well let's see....

My wife and I will be spending $240 per day on the toll.
This means that for the year we will be paying $40 - $50
thousand dollars to travel just four kilometers and only
1/3 of our journey. 

At age 75  (When the toll ends 2/3 of us will be dead!)  we would have
paid $1,200,000. Multiply this figure for the rest of Portmore!

Do your own calculations and see how cheap we are! 
Highway2000 is like a poor man buying a Benz when a Lada
would have worked as well.    




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I want to work at the toll company
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Date: Tue, 30 May 2006  
From: portmo@portmore.org     
To: webmaster@portmore.org 
Subject: Message from Front page 
    
  i am interested in getting a job 
at portmore toll road. i do not know the procedures of 
how to get the forms etc. i was wondering if this could 
have help me, please and thanks 
  							 
keronasweets@yahoo.com



===================
WEBMASTER'S Reply
===================

Sorry  keronasweets, I do not know how to get you this job. 
Try calling the developers using the phone book.....

Frankly, I would rather be a share holder in the company
than a worker! I like the odds of a good return on investment! 
Indeed, I understand that we may already be investors in the 
Highway since Jamaican pension funds are supposed to be 
part of the mix.  . 

Anyway, the history of foreign investment in transportation
has been poor…. And I suspect that these guys will leave 
too! The lessons of History were never learnt!
American investor took over the Jamaican train system in 
the late 1800s, but that failed.

Funny enough there were toll roads in Jamaica before.
However they were never popular and were the subject of 
riots and folk songs! 

The best investment for a country is local investment.
 







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Portmore Ministers Fraternal
##################################

Portmore Ministers Fraternal
Portmore
Gregory Park P.O. Box 298
St. Catherine


Media Release

June 6, 2006

Re: Proposed Toll on Causeway

A Statement

The Portmore Ministers Fraternal in its June monthly meeting 
has expressed concern about the likely toll to be charged fo
the use of the newly constructed Portmore Causeway. The
Portmore Ministers Fraternal has been advised that a request 
has been made by Trans Jamaica Highway for a toll of Ja$79.00.
class one motor vehicle each way.

The Fraternal has expressed its profound concern for the 
onerous burden such a toll if granted would place on the 
people of Portmore.

The Fraternal hereby supports a call by the Portmore 
Citizens Advisory Council (PCAC) for an urgent meeting with 
Minister of Transport and Works, Hon. Robert Pickersgill to 
fully apprise the leadership of the Portmore community of 
all the factors being taken into account.

We further call on the government to take all possible steps 
to ensure a manageable toll for the use of the causeway.

We believe that dialogue and consultation will afford the 
best opportunity to avert extreme actions that may be 
contemplated by others.


Rev. Barrington Soares
Chairman
Commission on Media and Education
Portmore Ministers Fraternal





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Portmore Ministers Fraternal
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From: "Keith Hinds" 
To: portmore_newsletter-owner@yahoogroups.com 
Subject: RE: Portmore E-newsletter 
Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 

Hi Kennedy:

It is very good that you have stuck to this great work, 
thanks on behalf of the Portmore people. Could you please 
help me to highlight the condition of the bridge on 
Helllshire road, as the hurricane season approaches this 
bridge needs urgent attention. The next point I would like 
to put forward is the fact that since we have a toll road 
pushed on us, how would the residents think about the toll 
operators giving a five percent (5%) 
back to Portmore for public projects such as a public hospital? 

What's your take on this? 

Please let me hear your views.

From: Keith Hinds (your next Mayor)( 876) 399-4733



===================
WEBMASTER'S Reply
===================

Hello Keith, 

Thanks for thanking me.... !

I know the bridge you speak of. I also know that Councillor
Thomas has been on the case. You should call him to see where
he is with this matter and see if you can help... two heads 
betta dan one.  

I see where Senator Williams has expressed 
concern about the Greater Portmore Sewage plant. Again, 
Councillor Thomas has been very animated on the matter .
 I can't wait for him to call a public protest so I can be out 
there with a placard. This sewage plant MUST be maintained !
The NWC earns over $15 million per month from Greater Portmore
and I do not see why a few million can not be spent on
maintenance.

The Greater Portmore sewage plant was built to be 
environmentally friendly because of the loud public uproar
in 1989-91. It  MUST be maintained or it will 
be a nightmare for us all in terms of smells, mosquitoes, crocodiles, diseases.
On the matter of the 5% returns to Portmore.
Yup, it would be good, but unfortunately all agreements
have already been signed!

Kennedy  
   







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The Portmore site
##################################

Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2006 15:06:24 
From:  "Stephanie Gordon-Reid" 
Subject: portmore website - feedback 
To: kennedyreid@yahoo.com 

    
DEAR MR. KENNEDY,
 
I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN PORTMORE FROM 1994 AND 
I VIEWED THE PORTMORE WEBSITE THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER.
 
I THINK IT IS WONDERFUL AND VERY INFORMATIVE.  
I HOPE ALL PORTMORIANS WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THIS 
INFORMATION AND GAIN KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHERE THEY LIVE.
 
I CAN SEE THAT YOU MADE A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT TO 
ACQUIRE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE.
 
WELL DONE. VERY GOOD. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
 
STEPHANIE REID


===================
WEBMASTER'S Reply
===================

Thanks Stephanie!





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What Happens When we die
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From and by :  "Calvin Lawrence"  


What happens when we die?

“Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. 
He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also 
as a shadow, and continueth not ” JOB 14:1-2.
I have attended hundreds of funerals in my forty plus years, 
and this verse of scripture has been quoted on almost all of 
these occasions. Perhaps to underscore the fact that of all 
the things in life, the only certainty is that one day we all
 must die. Whatever comfort may have been intended to be given 
to the bereaved from hearing these words of no lesser source 
than the Bible, is often either overlooked or incompletely 
transferred due to prevailing grief.

But what happens when we die? Do we begin to die from the moment 
we arewere born? There would, of course, be differing viewpoint 
on such matters. Disagreements regarding the issue have 
resulted in arguments ranging from the lively and constructive 
to the deadly (no pun intended, but hey…) and destructive.

One thing is certain, and it is that the state in which most 
people die is directly related to the estate in which they 
lived. Have you ever taken the time to review the sequence 
of events leading up to the death of someone who lived to 
be at least thirty-five years old?
It has been suggested that each life is lived in seasons, 
and we all go through the same cycle, if time allows. This 
categorization is certainly not scientific nor purely based 
on accepted and published work. 

I am, however, thus opined and I follow with a brief overview.

The seasons of our lives

Spring: 0 – 21 years
The formative and foundation building years. During this season 
we are expected to have the elements of our characters fully 
formed. It has also been suggested that these carefree and 
fun-loving years will come to a close with each life taking 
the turns towards their life’s work and purpose. 
The greater portion of this season is spent engaging in learning 
and study – whether in formal educational institutions or in 
the so-called University of Hard Knocks or School of Life.
Depending on environment and circumstance, persons will by the 
end of this season be well equipped to begin surrendering some 
of the frivolities and freedoms of youthful abandon, and prepare 
to take up the mantle of the ‘more serious’ years of summer.

Summer: 22-40
These are the years of hard work and struggle, made possible 
by heightened aspirations and maximum physical strength. These 
are also the years during which a significant percentage of 
persons, realizing they had wasted much of the springtime, will 
seriously begin ‘buckling down’ in an attempt to make up for 
lost time and wasted opportunities.
Most often these are the marriage, child bearing and asset 
acquisition years, requiring great physical fortitude to deal 
with their concomitant demands.
During summertime significant changes begin to occur, some to 
the alarm, surprise or gradual satisfaction of the person. 
Preferences and tastes in music, fashion and food are often 
modified during this period. People, as it is quite often said, 
begin to know themselves and mature into who they really are.

Autumn: 41-55
Summer has ended, at least in terms of the categorization being 
used here. During this season mankind to a large extent begins 
to focus on consolidating, settling down and looking towards 
retirement. Again, much effort is centered on making up for 
the time not used wisely during the summer years. Achievement 
of these objectives now exacts a higher premium as the physical 
and economic demands are usually greater. 
It is often a time of crisis as physical attributes begin to 
fade, sexual prowess and requirements fluctuate, and frustration 
at a real or seeming lack of progress is likely to result.
Quite often the phenomenona of career changes is evident during 
this phase of life. Erstwhile star athletes now become coaches, 
skilled front-line workers now opt for supervisory or managerial 
tasks, and it is not uncommon to find some who will not find an 
easy fit on either side of the divide, resulting in the prevalence 
of the much talked about mid-life crisis.

Winter: 55-70 +
There will, of course, be some exceptions to this idea but at 
this stage of their lives most persons will be wanting to ‘take 
it easy’. Wintertime is the season wherein we have been advised 
to ‘take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering 
the things of youth’. This is not always possible, however, as
 many persons due to environment and circumstance would still be 
engaged in catching up, not having done all the required work of 
autumn, or even summer. For those who are able to take it easy, 
it is a time to indeed do so. Spending less time in the fast lane 
and coping with the hustle and bustle of daily work life.
The fact is that these are still very productive years, as the 
benefit of years of experience and the wisdom of time make these
persons excellent resources for many areas of occupation.


At the end of the road

From time immemorial mankind has  busied himself with understanding 
the mystery of what happens at death, and afterwards.

So what happens at the end of our life’s winter, when our tree has 
faded and is ready to breathe its last breath? Of course this is 
only one way to look at it as depending on religious persuasions 
alone this might be a departure from one plane of existence to the 
next, or a termination of one form of living to return in a different 
configuration.

In any case, the physical machinery that once cried, worked, laughed, 
ate, drank, copulated and reproduced would have creaked or crashed 
to a halt, unable to be repaired, retooled or resuscitated for 
productive uses.

To my obviously limited knowledge, no one has been able to conclusively 
answer this question and so we still, if suitably interested, have a 
dilemma. None who have gone have returned to inform us, nor have any 
universally accepted messages been received from the great beyond.

Deathbed reports

There are numerous accounts of the last words whispered, sobbed or
shouted by those departing this life. The content of such accounts 
have varied from peaceful, saint-like exits to raving heart 
wrenching departures, depending on who or what the deceased was.
Which brings me back to a point made earlier that how one died is 
reflective of how that same one lived. 
People have been known to make self damning speeches in their last 
minutes amounting to confessions about whose lives and fortunes 
they negatively influenced – whether by witchcraft of gun-craft.
 A few such have been reported to scream in agony at what they 
themselves called the heat of the place they felt they were about 
to enter.
Others, still, have in their final sentences uttered prayers of 
thanks for the good lives they lived and ended with a sigh of 
pleasure evidenced by a smile of apparent peacefulness.



Final words

Maybe the jury is still undecided as to what happens after we die 
but there seems to exist clear evidence that each season of life
 has significant importance. It also seems clear that what we do 
in each season affects the others and that the common thread of 
life, present during these seasons, will be brighter and more 
beneficial if we use our time wisely.






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What Happens When we die
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Date: Mon, 29 May 2006   
From:  "dreafromja"   
Subject: Independence City  
To: webmaster@portmore.org 
    
 I got a little information from one of the websites in Jamaica.
That woman was incorrected, please see the facts below:
 
In 1969 West Indies Home Contractors (WIHCON) erected Independence 
City, the first housing scheme. The scheme consisted of 1,000 two 
and three bedroom houses. The cost for one of those units at that 
time was $8,000, with monthly payments of $34.00.

The next community to be constructed was Edgewater Villas. The 
construction of Bridgeport Phases 1 and 2, took place during 1972 
to 1974. Passage Fort followed in 1974, Waterford in 1975 and 
Bridgeport Phase 3 in 1976. Portsmouth was built in 1978 and 
Southboro followed in 1979. In the 1980s the schemes of Westchester, 
Cumberland and Westbay Phases 1 and 2 were constructed. 

The 1990s saw the construction of Westbay Phase 3 and Bridgeview, 
and 179 units at Cumberland by Mutual Properties in 1995.
The Greater Portmore development, which came later and involved 
the construction of some 16,000 housing units on approximately 
520 hectares of land adjacent (west) Old Portmore.
Unlike the development of Old Portmore, the design of Greater 
Portmore incorporated all the amenities required for a development 
of this size. Sites were designated for schools, a town centre, 
neighbourhood shopping, railway station, churches and other 
neighbourhood facilities.

In April 1996 a contract valued at $307 million was signed with 
WIHCON to construct seven basic schools, four primary schools, 
two comprehensive high schools, two police stations, a post office 
and a library on a phased basis. A shopping facility (The Greater
 Portmore Shopping Centre) for Greater Portmore was also completed.
To date, the community has grown considerably with some 40 churches, 
and over 25 schools including a community college. It is one of 
the fastest growing business centres offering varying services 
such as banking, credit unions, utility companies, remittance 
services, grocery stores, department stores, salons and barber
 shops, restaurants, hotels, fast food chains such as KFC, 
McDonald's and Burger King, in addition to gas stations,
among others.



===================
WEBMASTER'S Reply
===================


Well, just a little correction..

Firstly, McDonalds recently left Jamaica.

Secondly,  Independence City was not a part of the 
original "Portmore" plan... technically the first scheme was 
Edgewater Villas... but who cares...
By the time Independence City was completed in 1970
they were advertising it as "the first scheme in Portmore!"  

The fact is that Independence city was planned at the time
of Jamacia's Independence in 1962. The original plans called 
for the 'city'  to be located by Ferry on the Spanish 
Town road. Due to  technical issues a new  site was sought and 
The scheme eventually ended up on the Portmore 
property of Caymanas Estate. 

All this will be in my book slated for year end!

Kennedy 







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What Happens When we die
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Date: Mon, 29 May 2006   
From:  "dreafromja"   
    
I reside in the USA and is a former resident of Independence City. 
Trying to obtain  information on that very important part of
Portmore is like searching for a needle in a hay stalk. 
 
Please advise how I can obtain information on Independence 
City. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. 
 
Andrea  Huie
 
I totally agree with the writer below:

[It is not know which letter is referred to]




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What Happens When we die
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STEVE KHEMLANI ,  is spending $100 million on a stand alone 
building next to the MegaMart store in Portmore. That 
25,000-square foot building has been under construction 
since early 2005. 

The store is expected to be opened in July, and employ
between 70 and 80 people. The Portmore store will deal 
in a wide range of products, including clothing. 







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What Happens When we die
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From: "velarie"  
Subject: Property rental 
Date: Fri, 26 May 2006  
    
5-26-2006

 

Hello, my name is Valerie. I am trying to 
locate a well-known and respected property rental 
agent in the Portmore area.

I am seeking to sublet a Studio in Greater Port More.


I would appreciate any information you may have.


Thank you.

 

Velarie






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What Happens When we die
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Date: Thu, 25 May 2006  
From:  "conliffe_w" 
To: "Kennedy Reid"  
Subject: Maintenance on Highway 2000 
    
Kennedy,

You seem to be worried by maintenance on the structures 
on Hiway2000. Why? Even brand new structures need maintenance.

I hope that we would have learned from Bouygues, not only something
about building roads, about minimising delays to existing traffic,
but also about maintenance. I'm certain that in your travels abroad,
you have seen ripping and relaying of what would be perfect roadways
by Jamaican standards. Think of the Causeway or Backroad. How and
when is maintenance done? Marl or patching of asphalt in response to
complaints or really terrible conditions.

Think of the causeway bridge. It is an aging structure in a marine
environment. Should we not have had at least an annual inspection
and fixing and strenghtening sealing of both the road surface and
the underside and support of the bridge?

If the operators of Hiway 2000 are hoping to collect money for 30
years, thy need to start maintenance from day 1. Not even a madman
would pay to drive on roads which are in the condition of the
existing Causeway or Backroad.(How could we have been conned for so
long into thinking that when we were smashing our cars on the
potholes on the Backroad, that we enjoying a great free benefit?)

Regards,

Conliffe






Conliffe my friend, 

There is a big difference between ‘repair’ and ‘maintenance’.
I think the former is the case. 

The Causeway Bridge was constructed between 1967 and 1970 
using British money from the Commonwealth Development
Corporation. It was overseen by Mr. Seaga and the CDC. It was 
repaired and maintained in 1991 using Canadian funds 
(and consultants).  It was declared fit to last many more years
to come! 

It was the government’s DUTY to maintain the causeway. 
Our tax is not free money and neglect of duty is no excuse 
to privatize... but all that is water under the bridge.

Enjoy the highway!   








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