The birth home of National Hero, the Rt. Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante, which was destroyed in a bush fire in 2005, is to be rebuilt.
Construction of the home in Blenheim, Hanover, which is a historical site, is set to begin today, and should be completed in time for National Heroes Day celebrations on October 16.
The project is being funded by the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) fund at a cost of more than $2 million, with the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) as the implementing agency. The project contractor is FCP Construction and Engineering Limited.
Minister of State for Tourism, Entertainment and Culture, Dr. Wykeham McNeil, on August 10 led representatives of the JNHT on a tour of the work site, where they examined architectural drawings and consulted with the contractor.
HISTORICALLY AUTHENTIC
The State Minister told JIS News that the Government, through the JNHT, would be ensuring that the national monument was "built historically correct, as it was an important part of what we are as Jamaicans and an important part of our history".
"We will be putting in place certain measures to protect the house in the event of another fire," Dr. McNeil said, noting that, "we are going to increase the water capacity from 400 gallons to 1000 gallons and install an irrigation system around the house and in the roof, so that in the event of any problems like that, we would use it as a sprinkler system to protect the site".
Director of Estate Management and Business Development at the JNHT, Gavern Tate, said that the house "would be put back to its original state of wood and thatch, and the usual exhibition, which would tell the story of his life as a politician and as a trade unionist".
He said that for the future, the JNHT hoped to introduce some small dugouts and refine the exhibition to include some more physical memorabilia of the National Hero's life, "maybe a uniform from the primary school he used to attend, a favourite suit or shirt".
Manager of FCP Construction and Engineering Limited, Fitzroy Pinnock, made a commitment to complete the project in time and within budget.<
