MAYOR of Kingston Andrew Swaby has scoffed at plans to invest Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley and Louise “Miss Lou” Bennett-Coverley in a new Order of National Icon. Instead Swaby wants the two to be added to the country’s list of national heroes, which he says they richly deserve.

Addressing the monthly sitting of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) in downtown Kingston on Tuesday, Swaby argued that withholding the title of national hero from Marley and Miss Lou, “Would be an oversight of historical proportion”.

In his message to mark National Heroes’ Day in October, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that Marley and Miss Lou would become the first Jamaicans to be invested in the new Order of National Icon.

At that time Holness argued that this would be a most well-deserved and long-overdue recognition of their legendary contributions to Jamaican culture and music as he acknowledged them as towering figures in the preservation and global elevation of Jamaica’s cultural heritage.

But in his comments at the KSAMC on Tuesday, Swaby pointed out that Marley and Bennett-Coverley have given Jamaica a legacy that transcends borders and time as he argued that they deserve the country’s highest honour.

“I have been closely following the debate regarding the recognition of Louis Bennett-Coverley (Miss Lou) and Bob Marley. They are more than cultural figures. They are foundational to who we are as Jamaicans both at home and abroad.

“Recognising them as national heroes would not only honour their individual legacies but affirm our collective identity as a nation that values our culture, arts and the transformative power of creative expression,” said Swaby.

“This is especially significant for Kingston, the cultural heart of Jamaica where both Miss Lou and Bob Marley made their indelible mark. Our heritage is a living breathing entity. It is our responsibility to ensure that the contributions of these cultural titans are stitched in the fabric of the nation’s history at the highest level,” Swaby added.

According to the mayor, he believes that conferring national hero status on these two remarkable individuals, is not a matter for debate but one of rightful acknowledgement. He said their immeasurable contribution to Jamaica’s cultural identity deserves to be honoured at the highest level.

He argued that the concept of national hero should not be limited solely to political or military achievements.

“The essence of heroism, especially in a country as vibrant and culturally rich as Jamaica, must also include those who have shaped the very fabric of our society through art, music and cultural expression. Miss Lou and Bob Marley are two such towering figures whose work deserves far greater recognition based on the tremendous and profound impact they have had worldwide.

“Miss Lou’s pioneering work in promoting Jamaican patois, the everyday language of our people, played an undeniable role in fostering a sense of national pride and identity. She gave a voice to the marginalised, asserting the value of our language and cultural heritage at a time when patois was seen as less than. Miss Lou’s contribution was a fight for the recognition of authentic Jamaican identity, one that embraced our roots, struggles and triumph,” said Swaby.

He added: “Bob Marley’s music transcends borders and resonates with millions of people around the world. Marley is not only a cultural icon, but a force for social justice and equality. His message of one love, unity and resistance against oppression echoes globally and his influence continues to inspire generations of people in every corner of this world.

“Marley’s music became a soundtrack to the fight for liberation, justice and human dignity. Through his art, he put Kingston and Jamaica on the world map.”

Miss Lou, a poet and folklorist, was born on September 7, 1919 and died in Toronto, Canada, on July 26, 2006.

Marley, a singer and songwriter, was born on February 6, 1945. He died on May 11, 1981.

The Order of National Hero is conferred upon any person born in Jamaica, or who at the time of death was a citizen of Jamaica, and rendered to the country service of “a most distinguished nature”.

The order is the most senior order in the system of honours and awards, and is usually presented by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister.