I hope the eastern side of Portland will eventually recover.

Six years ago, I wrote an articleabout the “slow decay” in the parish of Portland, on the eastern end of the island. The eastern side of the parish is regularly described as green, lush, peaceful, off the beaten track, etc. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, it was our “go to” escape from Kingston on weekends. We would drive home tired, sunburned, and happy. Sometimes, we would stay for a night or two (and often with a visiting family member).

Portland was a “special” place to us, in many ways. It’s hard to put one’s finger on it, but anyone who visited there can feel its allure. The vines hanging from tall trees along the roadside; the magnificent potholes, forcing one to slow down and admire the views; the curve of San San Bay, where we spent many hours…