PORUS, Manchester — A political representative in this south-central parish has reiterated her concern that the once-thriving Porus has become a ghost town for two reasons — curfews and the highway that allows most of the traffic to bypass it.

Councillor Claudia Morant-Baker (Jamaica Labour Party, Porus Division) has taken issue with the continued imposition of curfews and has called for a town hall meeting between the Manchester police, citizens, and business owners.

“I must commend the police for taking this step to come to Porus. Porus has been a hot spot and it has been a hot spot for a [while]. We pray that the community will go back to [its regular] operation as it used to, because this is one step in the right direction. I am going to request the team that is here to organise a community meeting. I wouldn’t mind if it [is held] by the end of the week,” she said on Sunday at the Manchester police’s annual church service in Porus.

“We are ready to meet and talk with the police, because Porus has some genuine concerns that we need to be heard, and we not only need to worship together, we need to talk together. People have concerns. They are worried, because the businessmen and women of this community are crying out and they are saying to us, ‘Come and let us talk together,’ ” she added.

Last year, Manchester recorded 50 murders, up from 44 in 2023, and Porus has accounted for at least five of the homicides committed between September and December.

Morant-Baker is adamant that the curfews should be reviewed.

“We want to know how we can team up and fix the problem that exists here, and we can’t do it without you… Porus is dying, and mi nuh want it fi dead. Porus is a nice, sweet community,” she said.

“The highway mash up Porus and now the curfew is killing it, so we are saying to you, come let us talk together,” she said in reference to the toll-free May Pen to Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000.

The councillor underscored the importance of police and citizen partnership to restore peace and economic activity to Porus.

“Community members, I gave the police their charge, you have a responsibility too. You live in this community, you know what is happening in your community. Let us be partners to keep the community alive. You won’t understand until it touches your home, until it touches somebody you know,” she said.

File photo of the deserted town of Porus in Manchester. (Photos: Kasey Williams)