In a rare demonstration of political maturity, a member of the Opposition People’s National Party has stepped forward to suggest a renaming of one of Kingston and St Andrew’s popular streets in honour of former Jamaica Labour Party Leader and Prime Minister Edward Seaga.

Hugh Graham, councillor for the Lluidas Vale Division in the St Catherine Municipal Corporation and new chairman of the PNP-controlled St Catherine North Western constituency organisation, made the suggestion in an article carried on page 26 of today’s Sunday Observer.

“Jamaica’s fifth prime minister, the Most Honourable Edward Seaga, who has significantly contributed to the development of the road infrastructure in Jamaica, should have one of the city’s important roads renamed after him — the Lady Musgrave Road,” Graham wrote in the article.

Graham, who is founder and chief executive officer of Paramount Trading (Jamaica) Ltd, said that it was important to recognise Seaga for the work that he did to help develop areas of Kingston, and also to remove the historical stigma that surrounds how Lady Musgrave Road got its name.

“The renaming of Lady Musgrave Road has long touched a sensitive nerve among Jamaicans after learning that the road came into being due to the offence and insult Lady Musgrave — wife of then Governor of Jamaica Anthony Musgrave — experienced. It is claimed that the Devon House Mansion owned by one of the first black millionaires in the western hemisphere, George Stiebel, was an affront to Mrs Musgrave whose abode paled in comparison. Getting to King’s House required passing the mansion, and the lady felt insulted and so, to appease her, the popular thoroughfare was created.

“Lady Musgrave Road, despite this sordid background, is an important road in Kingston. It is part of an important business district where a collection of offices, entertainment venues, and restaurants can be found, making it a popular area for not only business and entertainment for locals, but visitors as well. It runs from Hope Road opposite the Governor General’s residence and connects back to Old Hope Road closer to Oxford Road that leads into the New Kingston area. It also has an important intersection with Trafalgar Road in New Kingston.

“The renaming of this road in honour of Hon Edward Seaga would be timely and welcome given the sociocultural happenings around the world as we are now in a heightened era where social justice is at the forefront. In the U S for example, thousands of confederate monuments and statues are being removed and buildings named after confederate leaders like Robert Lee are being renamed as they remain symbols of racism and injustice towards African Americans and those who were victims of slavery. It is in this light that I suggest the renaming of Lady Musgrave Road as it came about as a result of a racist attitude towards George Stiebel,” Graham wrote.

The Government has said that it will name the Ocho Rios leg of the North South Highway after Seaga, which has not found favour with the Opposition, and while not giving his position on the matter, the man who is seeking to succeed Robert “Bobby” Pickersgill as Member of Parliament for St Catherine North Western maintains that given the history of Lady Musgrave Road and the quality of work that his political foe has done across Jamaica, Seaga would be an ideal candidate to benefit from the name change.

“In a country like Jamaica where our motto remains “Out of Many One People” there should be no symbol reminiscent of a legacy of racism. I believe that just renaming the road would not be enough, but renaming it after someone who has been so crucial to the development of Jamaica by promoting justice and equality.

“There have been some back and forth on renaming the north-south highway after Mr Seaga, but considering the particular history of Lady Musgrave Road and the work that Mr Seaga has done with poor and impoverished communities across Jamaica, this would be the perfect choice.

“Hon Edward Seaga was largely responsible for the development of downtown Kingston waterfront [and] the creation of the HEART Trust which is now at the forefront of skills training in Jamaica. He also initiated the development and expansion of Ocho Rios as a tourism destination. His vision for Jamaica by connecting the road networks to promote trade and commerce and tourism is well recognised. His founding of the Urban Development Corporation and having it lead in developments such as Tivoli Gardens, then known as Back o’ wall is testament to that.

“Mr Seaga is widely known for his efforts at political and economic transformation of Jamaica in the 1980s, and along with having Petrojam Limited renaming one of their buildings after him for his leadership in acquiring Petrojam as a Jamaican asset, renaming Lady Musgrave Road in his honour is a legacy worthy of consideration in keeping with the prime minister’s wish to honour the former Prime Minister,” Graham wrote.

Boston, USA-born Seaga, 88, served as prime minister of Jamaica between 1980 and 1989. He was Member of Parliament for West Kingston for over 40 years.