KINGSTON – The University of the West Indies (UWI) says it will remove a controversial bust of Jamaica’s first national hero, Marcus Mosiah Garvey, following an outcry from various sections of the society, including members of the Rastafarian movement.
The bust was unveiled at the institution last month and the dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education at the UWI, Professor Waibinte Wariboko, confirmed that work is ongoing to erect a new bust before the start of the next academic year.
On Sunday, several Rastafarians gathered near the university protesting what they said was a poor representation of Garvey, who was conferred with the Order of the National Hero in 1969.
“The idea of erecting the bust was our initiative, it wasn’t imposed by outside forces,” Professor Wariboko told Radio Jamaica (RJR).
He told radio listeners that “having listened to the comments from members of the public since the unveiling, we are now taking steps to ensure that the one that was unveiled is removed and replaced with another bust put in place to reflect all or nearly all of the attributes that these public commentators would love to associate with the image of Marcus Garvey as represented by the bust to be made”. (CMC)
