Local Gov't reps fail to show for P'More Council meeting

by Rasbert Turner, Portmore Star Writer

Portmore's Mayor George Lee is cross, angry and fed up.

Upset that all but one of the members of his Portmore Municipal Council, failed to show for the monthly council meeting on Wednesday evening, the mayor is concerned that the business of the people stands to suffer.

"I am not satisfied with this level of indiscipline because they (councillors) have been elected by the persons in their division to serve them," Mayor Lee said minutes to 9 p.m., almost two hours after the 7 p.m. scheduled start of the meeting. "I think that they should make the effort to attend the meeting to put the issues of the people on the agenda and it cannot continue like this."

Mayor Lee went on to say that no one had informed the council that they would not turn up for meeting, he also noted that of the seven committees that should have met during the month of August only one meeting was held due to the lack of a quorum.

THE PORTMORE STAR arrived at the council's Portmore Pines offices about 7:30 p.m. and was there for the next hour and a half during which only Councillor Owen Saunderson from the Braeton Division, was seen. Enquiries revealed that the other councillors simply did not turn up

Several persons who normally attend the meetings expressed disappointment with none attendance of the councillors.

"I cannot understand that we are here and only one councillor turn up for the meeting and the people need to know what is happening, it is very poor, when they don't start the meeting late, they do not attend at all, it has to stop and the mayor must put something in place for this indiscipline to cease," remarked a visitor in the gallery.

The obviously disappointed mayor, insisted that councillors should take their jobs seriously and said he will be speaking to them to address the problem.

At least four councillors would have to be present for the meeting to be called to order. On many occasions when THE PORTMORE STAR attended, the meeting started up to 45 minutes late and on occasions Mayor Lee would make note of these. He said that this does not seem to be changing and that he is fed up of the councillors' behaviour.