THE EDITOR, Sir:
I SEE that attorney-at-law Velma Hylton has had to resort to writing in the public media to bring the plight of the Mandeville courthouse to the attention of the relevant authority. In Jamaica I cannot say who this might be, but I sense that she is joining the masses in making noise to attract attention to her deteriorating space.
I am an architect, and a couple years ago, took some time to document the courthouses of Jamaica. I found the Mandeville courthouse to be a particularly beautiful structure both in its own appearance, but as it relates to the Mandeville square. The original planning of Jamaican towns was established around Civic, Judicial and Religious centres, all within eyeshot of each other or the town square. In Mandeville, the Parish Church, St. Marks, faces out over the square with the Courthouse to its left, and the Parish Council just down the street approaching the square. The design of these buildings is uniquely Caribbean as it evolved from years of experience of the British in the area. Today these buildings have outlived their usefulness, some have continued in use until they have either fallen or burned down.
CIVIC ARCHITECTURE
These represented the civic architecture of the day, hundreds of years ago. They represented the best, most elegant designs of the time. The fact that they are still in use today suggests that we have not changed much the functions that these buildings originally had, indicating that we as a people have not grown. Sad. These buildings are architectural jewels and should be preserved for future generations to show them how we used to live with the judicial process, from the 18th to 21st century. These buildings are extremely important to our future as they collect and connect our culture. We should also look to create a new civic architecture in our cities and towns, while maintaining the historical fabric.
I would like to put to the Jamaican Bar Association, or the Jamaica heritage society that they can start a fund to rescue these buildings. I for one would be willing to support this effort, provided there is a workable plan put forward to do so. Money should not be an obstacle to the objective of saving these buildings, as long as there is a commitment to the idea, there will be a way to get funding.
I am etch,
HUGH M. DUNBAR
hmd-energy@erols.com
West New York
New Jersey
Via Go-Jamaica
