- Norman GrindleyDaniel Scott, centre, landscape supervisor, giving instructions to two workmen doing renovation work at the Harbour View round-about last week. The park is being renovated by Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited.
Erica Virtue, Staff Reporter
CABLE AND Wireless Jamaica's (C&WJ) offer to renovate and rehabilitate the run-down Harbour View round-about will finally put on show a monument commissioned for the park nearly 40 years ago, but which has never been mounted.
Sunday Gleaner investigations revealed that the white, circular concrete pedestal erected just off-centre of the park, was the base for a monument which was commissioned in 1962 by National Hero, the late Sir Alexander Bustamante.
Sources said a disagreement between Government officials at the time and the creator of the monument resulted in the plans being shelved and as a result the pedestal has not supported anything since 1962.
The Sunday Gleaner learnt that the Tourism Product Development Company (TPD-Co) is trying to get the "monument bronzed" for the park, but it could not be ascertained whose monument will stand aloft the pedestal.
TPDCo chairman Karl Binger, who The Sunday Gleaner was told could provide information on the mystery monument, did not respond to our request for an interview on Friday.
The round-about, which is one of the first landmarks seen by visitors arriving at the Norman Manley International Airport, and which is the responsibility of the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Council (KSAC), was being used as a base for prostitutes, a garbage dump and a free-for-all car wash.
C&WJ officials said last week, that the company's regional boss, Errald Miller, proposed that the project be done as a corporate gesture.
Communication manager, Errol Miller, said that the project is at least one of three similar ones in the Corporate Area that have received a face-lift.
"The project is estimated to cost at least $750,000 and the contractors have given a time line of six weeks. So we are looking at a deadline of the first week in March," Mr. Miller said in an interview.
He also explained that the renovation project is being undertaken with permission from the KSAC.
"We decided to do the work ourselves, because we did not want it drawn out. We have to account to our board," Mr. Miller replied when asked why the company did not give the money to the KSAC to have the repairs done.
According to him, the park will be professionally landscaped and will feature a new lighting system and new plumbing. The company will also assume responsibility for its maintenance once it is completed.
