Let's restore our built heritage

Ainsley Henriques, GUEST COLUMNIST

Your writer's piece ('Manley's home repair almost complete'), with photographs, in the Saturday, June 22, 2013 edition, is deeply appreciated, save his apparent lack of basic research.

The birth sites of our national heroes, where we can identify them, are very important to our nation's memory and heritage. However, as indicated, some are not known, some are restored and interpreted. The birth site of Norman Washington Manley is known and the remains of the site have been preserved by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT).

It had never been interpreted or promoted with anything other than a function put on by the people of Manchester on the anniversary of his birth on July 4 each year. Added to this is the reality that there are only sites named in his memory, but none that really speak to his story. Where he lived in his heyday, Drumblair, became a housing estate.

So with the enthusiasm of the South Coast Resort Board, an entity of the Tourism Product Development Company, the promise of funding from the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), and with the encouragement of the members of parliament from Manchester, I am proud to say that the JNHT rose to the challenge.

MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE

We - and this includes the participation of those already named as well as the Institute of Jamaica's Museums Division, the Manchester Parish Council, the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing's JEEP, the Norman Washington Manley Foundation, and the Ministry of Youth and Culture - all joined hands and heart together to do the impossible.

We came together only a mere three months ago to build an exhibition room on the ruins of the house, research the Manley and Roxborough history, and create an exhibition to serve all Jamaicans interested in this aspect of our rich heritage and history.

The impossible will be achieved given the time frame by the dedication of those people of Manchester who have worked so hard to restore the site, created a rose garden, and built the exhibition room. They will stand tall to have achieved all that had to be done in these few weeks. We are proud of them, and Norman Manley would have been proud of their sense of excellence.

CLARIFYING SOME POINTS

Let me correct a few errors in the Dave Lindo article and, hopefully, this will encourage all journalists to seek advice when publishing on our heritage. We at the JNHT will be more than ready to assist to see that the correct information is recorded.

First is that all houses built on hills are not great houses. The house at Roxborough that burnt down was a coffee farm and pimento walk and subsequently a cattle-pen home.

Second is the cost to create the exhibition room in the genre of the original home, to research and mount the exhibition is nowhere near the $42 million that the TEF had set aside for the project. It has cost much less.

Third is that this site, with what could be now described as a museum, is one with adequate signage and a permanent exhibition. This facility will be open year round, especially for students, our young people, and possibly even for social functions for the people of Manchester, indeed for all Jamaicans to enjoy the surroundings and reflect on the history and achievements of the national hero.

Arrangements to use the site for functions can be made through the JNHT.

Let us come together, as we have for Roxborough, and restore, regenerate, even recreate, aspects of our built heritage.

The opening will be on the 120th anniversary of Norman Manley's birth, Thursday, July 4, 2013.

Ainsley Henriques is chairman of the JNHT. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and ainsley@cwjamaica.com.