The Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) has launched a competition to design a monument in honour of the Most Hon. Hugh Shearer, former Prime Minister. The monument will be built outside the shrine of Heroes Park, next to those of former Prime Ministers Michael Manley and Sir Donald Sangster.

The design competition opens on March 31, 2006 and will close at 3:00pm on Friday, June 2, 2006. It invites Jamaicans at home and abroad to enter a design that would best capture Mr. Shearer and his ideals. Only one design will be accepted from each competitor. The JNHT is charging a non refundable registration fee of $1,500 and individuals will be furnished with a plan, application form and brief information on the life of Mr. Shearer.

At present, Mr. Shearer’s grave inside the park has been clad in marble. The JNHT is asking that entrants to the competition take this into consideration so that their designs will not interfere with the grave.

Materials to be used in the construction of the monument must be mainly Jamaican in origin and low maintenance in nature. Entrants are to use a $5 million construction cost as a guide to the design of the monument.