FALMOUTH, Trelawny – The long-awaited erection of the iconic Usain Bolt’s statue has inched a step closer to reality with a financial boost from the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) towards the construction of the base of the sculpture, expected to cost roughly $16 million.

“We are lending some support to that project. We are partnering with the Ministry of Culture, Entertainment, Gender and Sport, and we are also partnering with the Trelawny Municipal Corporation,” said executive director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund, Dr Carey Wallace, declining to disclose the amount of money the TEF is contributing to the project.

The statue will be mounted at the site of the fountain in the historic Water Square in Falmouth, Trelawny’s capital.

According to Minister of Culture Olivia “Babsy” Grange, the project will be jointly undertaken by the TEF, the Jamaica 60 Secretariat, the Trelawny Municipal Corporation (TMC) with the support of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the Urban Development Corporation (UDC).

Members of the JDF will undertake the construction of the base in Water Square.

The culture minister disclosed that Prime Minister Andrew Holness and the iconic sprinter will decide on the date for the official unveiling of the statue.

“We are now going to finalise a new date between Bolt and the prime minister,” Grange told the Jamaica Observer West.

There were plans to relocate the iconic fountain in a bid to facilitate the erection of the statue in Water Square but a decision was later taken by the TMC against such a move.

A new design was subsequently agreed on by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) and the corporation.

The approval made it possible for alterations to be made for the positioning of the statue at the historic landmark.

Chairman of the TMC and mayor of Falmouth C Junior Gager explained that the rehabilitated fountain will feature water spouting up to “three to four feet” in the air.

“During the nights the water will show different colours. And then the Usain Bolt statue will be in the middle of the fountain on a raised platform,” Gager stated.

In August 2021, Grange indicated that a statue of the legendary sprinter was ready to be mounted in his native parish of Trelawny and would have been done by the end of that year. Bolt is a native of the deep rural community of Sherwood Content in the parish.

“The Ministry of Culture, they financed the sculpture itself and they are making some contributions to the base. They are trying to make sure that Water Square will always have a water feature. They had to redesign the base so that it has a water feature, so it is a little more expensive,” Dr Wallace explained.

Bolt OJ, CD, who turned 36 years this year, is reputed to be the greatest sprinter of all time. He holds world records in the 100 metre and 200 metre as well as the 4x100m relay.

The Trelawny native has eight Olympic gold medals and 11 World Championships gold medals.

Dr Wallace argued that the statue will attract passengers from the cruise ships that dock at the Falmouth port, which lies in close proximity to Water Square.

“We believe that the Usain Bolt statue will become a phenomenal attraction and opportunity for visitors coming to the Falmouth square. We believe it will pull more people off the cruise ships to the area, hence more spread of the tourism dollar. So it will be a big tourism impact, so our board decided to go ahead and lend some support to get it erected,” said Wallace.

“It enhances the destination and it enhances Jamaica’s tourism product. It will accrue to the benefit of our locals. He [Bolt] is our modern-day hero pretty much so it will be great to have our people to see him immortalised in that statue in his own hometown.”

Gager agreed that the statue will be a tourist attraction.

“We are happy for any collaboration which can make it happen because we really believe it is one of the better things for the town. It is something that will make tourists want to come and see. It is only going to enhance the town and push the opportunities for the town of Falmouth,” the Falmouth mayor argued.

The TMC had planned that the unveiling of the statue would have been simultaneous with the lighting of the Christmas tree in Water Square, which took place last week.

However, Gager argued that even as he is saddened with the pushing back of the date for mounting of the statue, he is taking solace that the eventual unveiling will not be overshadowed by another event.

“We are really sorry that it has been delayed but we believe it is for the best because you would have one clouding the other. This will allow the project to get its right recognition and attention,” he argued.