Kendal crash monument to be upgraded

MANDEVILLE, Manchester — A museum and park are expected to be built at the Kendal train crash monument site in time for the 70th anniversary commemorative ceremony next year.

Permanent secretary in the Culture Ministry DeanRoy Bernard said the monument, bearing 177 names of the close-to-200 people who died in the September 1, 1957 train crash, has already been declared a national heritage site.

“Once a site is declared that means there is a special interest that the [Jamaica National] Heritage Trust takes to ensure it is preserved and developed. There is a programme of development that we are going to be looking at as we look forward to the 70th year. There are some things that we are going to do. You notice that there is no electricity and there is no bathroom,” he told the Jamaica Observer Tuesday on the sidelines of the 69th anniversary commemorative ceremony in Kendal.