Desmond McKenzie Close sign removed for repair following vandalism, says Councillor
MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Less than a week after the Desmond McKenzie Close sign was unveiled in Somerset, Manchester in honour of the country’s Minister of Local Government, it has been vandalised.
Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Councillor for the Johns Hall Division, Faith Sampson, told OBSERVER ONLINE on Thursday that the sign was taken down by a welder.
“A part was vandalised, so a welder living nearby took it down to repair it and replace it,” she said.
She added that parts of the sign were “bent”.
“He [welder] has taken it down to straighten and replace it,” Sampson said.
The sign has created widespread debate on social media with many users questioning the renaming of Guava Walk Road in northwest Manchester in honour of McKenzie.
Almost two years ago the Guava Walk Road was rehabilitated, costing $5 million.
Read: PHOTO: Road for Manchester’s Guava Walk
An overjoyed McKenzie last Friday unveiled the street sign bearing his name following a tour of a water shop being constructed in Somerset, a few miles northwest of Mandeville.
Read: WATCH: Manchester Street renamed Desmond McKenzie Close
Last year a homeless shelter was named in honour of McKenzie.
READ: New state-of-the-art homeless shelter to be named after Desmond McKenzie
The renaming of the roadway was organised by Sampson. She crossed the floor in the Manchester Municipal Corporation in mid-2020 from the People’s National Party to the JLP.
Sampson recently said McKenzie was deserving of the road being renamed in honour of him following a commitment she made to do so in June 2021.
“When Minister came and opened this road, Guava Walk Road, we made a commitment [and] we asked him for a water shop and we said to him ‘Minister when you come to open the water shop, we are going to rename this road, Desmond McKenzie’ – we said Boulevard then. The water shop is not yet completed,” she said.
“He [McKenzie] is one of a kind. First thing is him love poor people. The less fortunate brothers and sisters talk about this man that him go all out for the less fortunate,” she added.
