Backlash against planned removal of Falmouth fountain

THE DECISION by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) to relocate the iconic fountain in Water Square in Falmouth, Trelawny, is set to become contentious as stiff resistance is expected from several interest groups who are opposed to the move.

At last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation, correspondence from the Heritage Trust indicated that“the historic fountain is to be carefully dismantled and placed in another appropriate community in Falmouth”.

Besides infuriating groups like the United States-based Friends of Trelawny Association (FTA) and former president of the Trelawny Chamber of Commerce, Dennis Seivwright, the announcement also runs counter to last year’s commitment by Falmouth Mayor Collen Gager that the fountain would not be moved.

It is widely believed that the fountain is being moved to facilitate the erection of the statue of track and field superstar Usain Bolt, the parish’s most iconic son.

Seivwright, who has been calling for the Bolt statue to be erected in Water Square for more than a decade, believes that the square can accommodate both the statue and the fountain.

“It is laughable that this same Heritage Trust, which declared Falmouth a national monument in 1996, could be granting approval to destroy a historic structure. I would like to see how they are going to carefully dismantle the fountain,” said Seivwright.

The Reverend Don Hall, chief adviser to the FTA, said those lobbying for the relocation of the fountain do not understand the historical value of Falmouth and its monuments.

And former Trelawny Custos Paul Muschett, who has been a critic of the Heritage Trust, questioned whether the removal of the fountain would result in a name change for Water Square as well.

“There is enough space in the square for the statue and the fountain to exist,” said Muschett.

“It (the statue) could be placed south of the fountain. It should be placed on a large granite, four-sided pedestal with a storyboard of Usain’s achievements on the sides.”