FOR THE commemoration of the Year of the Worker in 1988, then Prime Minister Edward Seaga commissioned the refurbishing of the Queen Victoria Park back in 1982, and brought it to full completion in 1998 when it was rededicated and renamed the St William Grant Park. St William Grant was one of the icons of the workers' struggle in Jamaica who shared his United Negro Improvement Association speakers platform with labour leader Alexander Bustamante in front of the Ward Theatre and in the park on regular occasions.
Inside the park the shackles of slavery laid buried in a long, unmarked tomb next to the now-famous banyan tree.When the park was grandiosely refurbished during the 1980s, the authorities did not consider it necessary to place an inscription to indicate publicly what laid beneath, nor did they find it necessary to mount the statue of St William Grant there among those of Queen Victoria, Alexander Bustamante and Norman Washington Manley.
I, therefore, believe that Grant's statue should now be placed at the eastern gate where the statue of Queen Victoria now stands, and Marcus Garvey's statue should also be mounted at the western gate facing the masses in the marketplace whom he served. The Queen Victoria statue may be removed to the entrance at King's House where it would be better appreciated.
Constituency development
The park took a total of six years to be completed and Seaga once said that the project was a dream that he had for his constituency development programme and the people of Jamaica in recognition of the Golden Jubilee of The Year of the Worker. The park renovation was done in conjunction with the wider upgrading of the Parade ring road and bus bay areas. Upon completion, it represented a magnificent centrepiece of national development in the city and did much to rejuvenate the capital of Jamaica.
Many voices of criticism were raised about the long construction period of what was dubbed "the concrete monstrosity".
Nevertheless, the park turned out to be well appreciated and was well maintained as a destination where many people would go for relaxation after work or on holidays.
The 1989 general elections which brought the People's National Party (PNP) to power resulted in the neglect of the maintenance of the park as a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) monument, so that not even the Oxford Mall market, which was left unfinished by the JLP, was completed during the PNP's term of office.
Features destroyed
And now we are looking at a situation where, within the first year of the JLP returning to office, the St Williams Grant Park has been suddenly bulldozed and much of its features and public convenience for the comfort of the people who used it regularly have been destroyed.
This action was carried out with no prior public consultation as to what plans were being considered for the refurbishing of the park. All of the unique ring planter boxes and seating facility that were centrepieces of attraction have been demolished without any explanation, making the park appear run down.
It is widely felt that the current refurbishing project should have taken no more than six months at best. However, it has been going on for close to two years now and has missed the 70th anniversary of the workers' struggle and the 20th anniversary of its reopening. Furthermore, the flagpole which was blown down during hurricane Gilbert shortly after the rededication of the park in 1988 remains inoperable although the current work seems to be nearing completion.
It points to a clear lack of any nationalistic ideals why the park is being refurbished and shows no connection with our common struggles and aspiration as a nation.
I would, therefore, like to ask the following questions of the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC):
Will you tell us where the shelter is for users of the park whenever there is rain?
Will you tell us where the pole is for the national flag?
Will you tell us why the features of a national park had to be so drastically altered without consulting the public or the original designer?
How will a refurbished park look among so many derelict buildings and street people?
Why were the Oxford Mall and Victoria markets rebuilding projects not given the priority over the park since the funding is derived from the Petro-Caribe Fund for structural development projects which must be spent to improve the quality of life of the ordinary working-class people of Jamaica?
I request that a town-hall meeting be called in the precincts of the KSAC to address these questions publicly?
consulting the public or the original designer?
How will a refurbished park look among so many derelict buildings and street people?
Why were the Oxford Mall and Victoria markets rebuilding projects not given the priority over the park since the funding is derived from the Petro-Caribe Fund for structural development projects which must be spent to improve the quality of life of the ordinary working-class people of Jamaica?
I request that a town-hall meeting be called in the precincts of the KSAC to address these questions publicly?