Short-sighted thinking on new parliament building
THE EDITOR, Madam:
IT WOULD have appeared that the intended location of the proposed parliament building was being reviewed. But recent indications seem to have pointed to no such luck, no such fortune, or more accurately, no such reasoned thinking; no such farsighted vision.
If that sounds presumptuous, one needs to recall the opinions expressed by any number of urban planners, landscape architects, sociologists, civil society leaders and other professional in related fields. These have been pointing out, essentially in one accord, the reasons that the land contained in the National Heroes Circle should be kept and developed as a park.
Further, suitable alternative locations have also been suggested for the parliament building, including King’s House lands, space at Up Park Camp, and others.
In fact, the main reason that appears to come from the Office of the Prime Minister and the Urban Development Corporation for the choice of Heroes Circle, seems to be a clause in an act of 1956, saying that some of the land may be used for the construction of parliament building, as well as documents from around the same time, in which National Hero Norman Manley gave consideration to that location.
There is absolutely no doubt regarding the overwhelming patriotic commitment Norman Manley had for this country, but regarding the case in question, this was 60 years ago, and current circumstances need to be perused for current decisions.
Further to that, the same act of 1956 also includes, among others, the following:
“... may develop and lay out all (emphasis mine) or any part of the Park for use as a public garden, pleasure park and recreation area, or for any of these purposes ,and may manage and conduct such garden, pleasure park or recreation area; may apportion parts of the Park for use for purposes of recreation, including athletics and other outdoor sports and games...”
To say that the parliament building, if placed in Heroes Circle, will cover all the land with concrete is somewhat of an exaggeration. But there is no doubt that if implemented, the area will essentially lose the possibility of being developed into a park, with basically the portion for the national heroes in the south remaining.
In the words of the prime minister, what is needed now is the “focus on what is in the best interest of the country”.