- Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
The three monuments under construction in the vicinity of the Jamaica Library Service on Tom Redcam Avenue in Kingston, which will house busts of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jnr, and Nelson Mandela.
Georgia Hemmings, Staff Reporter
A 'PARK of World Heroes' is being established along Tom Redcam Avenue in Kingston.
Construction is progressing on three pedestals in the vicinity of the headquarters of the Jamaica Library Service to house busts of Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Jnr, and Nelson Mandela.
The Sunday Gleaner has learnt that this project is part of an initiative to honour outstanding personalities who have contributed to world history, especially those who have had direct connection with Jamaica.
It is being carried out by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT), but executive director, Suzanne Lyon, emphasised that the agency is only implementing plans which have been formulated as far back as 1998 by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).
Investigations revealed that, in 1998, when the Organisation of American States (OAS) celebrated its 50th anniversary, member states were asked to stage local activities to commemorate the event.
In Jamaica, a national committee was appointed by the OPM to develop appropriate activities to illustrate the importance which Jamaica attached to its membership in the organisation. The committee recommended the establishment of a "Plaza of the Americas" in the National Heroes Park in which busts of select national heroes from OAS members states would be erected, as well as flags. This decision was accepted and approved by Cabinet in 1998.
NON-NATIONALS
However, in 2000, changes were prompted by a statement from then Minister of Education, Youth and Culture, Burchell Whiteman, that non-nationals should not be placed within the National Heroes Park.
The view was also expressed that other figures in world history who have direct connection with Jamaica should be recognised, as well as Jamaicans who were not National Heroes, but who made a mark in areas of
culture and sports.
PLAZA OF THE AMERICAS
So, in May 2000, Cabinet approved the establishment of:
A "Plaza of the Americas" along Marescaux Road where busts of national heroes of OAS member states would be displayed.
A "Park of World Heroes" on Tom Redcam Avenue, and
A place for outstanding Jamaican performers along Arthur Wint Drive.
So far, a celebrity "Wall of Honour" has been erected in Independence Park near the National Stadium portraying Jamaican sports personalities and administrators.
And work is proceeding on the "Park of World Heroes", since the JNHT was asked to implement the project last year. Costs associated with the project to date is estimated at over $700,000.
Ms. Lyon told The Sunday Gleaner that "The bust of Mahatma Ghandi has already been procured, and at present housed at the Indian High Commission.
"In the meantime, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade will continue to liaise with the United States Embassy and the South African Commission regarding the procurement of busts of Marthin Luther King Jnr., and Nelson Mandela, respectively."
It is expected that the Ghandi bust will be installed by July 18, having missed an earlier May deadline.
IN LIMBO
In the meantime, plans for the "Plaza of the Americas" remain in limbo. The Sunday Gleaner has learnt that, initially, a decision was taken that the Marescaux Road site would not be the best location because infrastructural costs would be too high. But since the location would provide linkage and continuity among all three parks, more effort is being made to develop a plan at a low cost with minimum traffic dislocation.
With the original design sub-committee dissolved since 2001, implementation of the rest of the project rests with the OPM. Apart from the JNHT and the OPM, the sub-committee had comprised representatives from the Ministry of works, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Urban Development Commission and National Water Commission.
