MANDEVILLE, Manchester — The birthplace of National Hero Norman Manley is set to undergo renovation after some degradation caused by two hurricanes.

On July 3, 2024, a day before the 131st anniversary of his birth at Roxborough, south of Mandeville, Hurricane Beryl ripped through south Manchester leaving a trail of destruction. However, the museum there stood up to the storm. But unlike Hurricane Beryl, the recent Category 5 Hurricane Melissa damaged sections of the Roxborough museum’s roofing.

Addressing the floral tribute in recognition of the 133rd anniversary of Manley’s birth on Saturday, executive director at the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) Leslie Harrow said he is optimistic that the museum will be renovated and reopened in the next fiscal year.

“This National Heritage Trust is about ensuring that we partner with agencies. We go beyond and see where we can get support for our sites and therefore, looking ahead, the Jamaica National Heritage Trust intends to renovate the house and exhibition space with the aim of reopening the site in the next financial year,” he said.

Executive director at the Jamaica National Heritage Trust Leslie Harrow lays a floral tribute at Roxborough, the birthplace of National Hero Norman Manley Kasey Williams

He explained the scope of work for the facility, for which renovation costs are an estimated cost of $12.2 million.

“The proposed work includes restrooms, re-roofing, landscaping, signage, installation of a pump to improve water flow from the tank, new interpretive storyboards and rehabilitation of the exhibition space,” he said while pointing to the need for collaboration in executing the project.

“We therefore expect that our partners both in the public and private sector will come on board to assist us. We have already engaged two organisations and things are looking good,” he said.

Security, political and civic leaders seated at Saturday’s ceremony in Roxborough, Manchester. Kasey Williams

He described Roxborough as a place of remembrance, instruction and national pride.

“This is an investment in heritage, in education, community pride, cultural tourism and the continued formation of national identity. As we reflect on this legacy let us renew our common responsibility to preserve Jamaica’s heritage to tell our national story with honesty and dignity,” he said.

Member of Parliament for Manchester Southern Peter Bunting welcomed the plan to renovate the museum, but called for a widening of the scope of work to secure an open catchment tank on the premises.

“Fifteen or so years ago there was some work done upgrading Roxborough… The visual display and the storyboard that they put in stepped up the facility quite a lot; since then it has been affected not just by the passage of time, but by two hurricanes and now the roof has to be redone, it is time to do an overall refurbishing of the facility,” he said.

The damaged roofing at the Roxborough museum in Manchester Kasey Williams

“It has long been my regret that we haven’t used it as part of our teaching of history in our schools in Manchester … this should be on their annual agenda to bring busloads of students to come and learn about the Right Excellent Norman Washington Manley,” he added.

A brilliant scholar, athlete, soldier, lawyer, and statesman, Manley and his cousin and political rival, National Hero Sir Alexander Bustamante, are often considered the chief architects of modern Jamaica.

Manley was the founding president of the People’s National Party and played lead roles in the framing of Jamaica’s Constitution, modernisation of the Jamaican economy and education system in the 1950s and early 60s, and in the negotiation of Jamaica’s political independence from Britain in 1962.