Statue of Norman Manley to be repaired, Grange disappointed by poor maintenance
Published:Tuesday | September 4, 2018 | 12:00 AM
Culture Minister Olivia Grange has instructed the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) to immediately begin conservation work on the statue of National Hero Norman Manley, at St William Grant Park in downtown, Kingston.
She has also ordered that the process must begin today.
This morning, the statue was cordoned off and workers seen conducting an assessment.
The development comes days after The Sunday Gleaner reported that the statue was badly in need of a face lift.
Members of the public had complained that the statue of former Prime Minister Alexander Bustamante was in proper condition at the other end of the park, but Manley's statue was defaced.
Grange has expressed disappointment at the lack of maintenance of Manley's statue.
She said Manley and Bustamante's were scheduled to be conserved at the same time.
According to her, work on the Manley statue was delayed because someone had painted the sculpture and it, therefore, required a different and longer process of preservation and repair, which includes paint removal.
Grange says she's displeased that it took the JNHT several months to re-schedule the conservation of the Manley statue.
She has instructed the agency to prioritise the conservation of monuments of national heroes to ensure that they are always in the best possible condition.
We want to hear from you! Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169, email us at editors@gleanerjm.com or onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com.