Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Professor Sir Kenneth Hall, will officially open the Bustamante Museum, at the former home of the late National Hero, labour leader and Jamaica’s first Prime Minister, the Rt. Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante, 24 Tucker Avenue, Kingston 6, this morning (February 3), at 11:30 a.m.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding will give the main address, while former Prime Ministers, Edward Seaga and P.J. Patterson, will do the Remarks and Reflections, respectively.
Also scheduled to take part in the proceedings are: Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia Grange; Bishop of Jamaica, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Alfred Reid; Chairman of the Bustamante Museum Establishment Committee, Seragh Lakasingh; and Secretary of the Bustamante Foundation, Dr. Evadne Williams.
The Jamaica Regiment Band and the Jamaica Folk Singers will entertain. President of the Senate, Dr. Oswald Harding, will chair the function.
According to Mr. Lakasingh, the exhibits cover several aspects of Sir Alexander’s colourful career as a politician and labour leader, and founder of both the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU).
They include Bustamante’s famous letters to the press, consistently dealing with the working conditions of poor Jamaicans and the role of the colonial leadership, a number of which were unearthed during the museum’s five years of research on his life.
They also include a number of photos, medals and honours donated by Sir Alexander’s widow, Lady Bustamante.