Member of Parliament for South East St Catherine, Colin Fagan, has one wish for Port Henderson Road. The MP wants to see the area more popularly called 'Back Road' transformed into an area for family entertainment and business persons.

The MP wants to do this because he thinks the area has great potential and would help boost Portmore status to become a parish.

"If we could transform the area into a place where business people could stay with family- oriented entertainment, then it would be good for Portmore and Jamaica as a whole," said Fagan.

red light district

The MP had previously stated his wish in his recent budget presentation in Parliament, recently. But up until now, not much else has been said on the matter.

At present, Back Road is the Corporate Area and St Catherine's unofficial red light district offering sex and adult entertainment around the clock. The roughly three-kilometre stretch has seen several raids from the police who have attempted to end prostitution in the area. It has also received its fair share of condemnation from councillors and Portmore residents alike. And Fagan wants to change the image of this road which falls in his constituency.

"People have different views of what should take place, in the area. For such a move to take place, we would have to have a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, The Joint Citizens' Association and other groups. We need to have a discussion on it in terms of what will happen in the area because the mayor wants it to become a hip strip," he said.

influential persons

For Mayor Keith Hinds, the transforming of the area into an area for family is one which he welcomes, but he still wants it to be a hip strip.

"I do not want it to become a red light district," said Hinds. "We want it to be transformed into a nice, comfortable area where with roadside cafés and sound systems playing music. The MP has been listening to me as I said that during my campaign," he said.

Several residents and other influential persons in Portmore have welcomed the MP's desire.

"I would support any move to transform that community into one which provides wholesome recreation and entertainment geared towards the family," said Bishop Delford Davis of the Power of Faith Ministries in Portmore.

support such a move

Margaret Taylor, another resident, said she would support such a move if it came through.

"It's somewhere I could take my children, so I would love to see the area transform into that," she said.

Although Fagan wants Back Road to be transformed into an area for family, he did not say when this would become a reality. And for Mayor Hinds, an assessment of the water in the area to see the sewage and bacteria content would first need to be done.

But both men do agree that the development of the area would be good for Portmore's quest to become a parish. Efforts to get a view from several of the hotels in the area were unsuccessful as most said their managers were out of office or had no comment.