Monument to honour Kendal train crash victims
Published:Saturday | February 22, 2025 | 11:14 AM
The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport and the Manchester Municipal Corporation have signed an agreement to erect a $7.9-million monument in honour of the victims of the 1957 Kendal train crash.
Minister Olivia Grange and Mayor of Mandeville Councillor Donovan Mitchell signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday.
The ministry will provide the money for the monument's construction, set to be unveiled on September 1 to mark the 68th anniversary of the tragic event.
The crash, which claimed more than 170 lives, remains the deadliest in Jamaica's history and one of the worst in the world. Over 700 persons were injured.
In addition to the monument, the Manchester Municipal Corporation plans to create a memorial park, with a future museum to complement the tribute. The intention is for visitors to regularly pay homage to the victims, ensuring the memory of the incident endures.
“On that fateful night in 1957, Jamaica was proud of its railway system, yet tragedy struck as a train traveling from Montego Bay to Kingston derailed near Kendal,” Grange said at Friday's signing ceremony.
Minister Grange also shared her efforts to have September 1 declared a National Day of Remembrance for the victims and survivors.
The minister extended gratitude to various groups, including the Manchester Municipal Corporation, St Anne's Catholic Church, and WINDALCO, a bauxite and alumina company, for supporting the project.
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