The bronze bust of super patriot Phillip Goldson was unveiled on Monday amidst controversy. The controversy was that sculptor Steven Okeke chose to unveil the one ton bust at Market Square on Albert Street. The City Council says he never asked permission or paid for it to be placed there. It made for a nasty controversy which could've gotten ugly. But it won't because today UDP party whip Michael Finnegan stepped in and found common ground between Okeke and the City Council. That common ground is at the Palotti Roundabout - which is where all sides have agreed the 10-foot bust will be permanently placed. Finnegan told us why he intervened.
Keith Swift,
Mr. Finnegan why did you decide to get involved?
Hon. Michael Finnegan, UDP Party Whip
"Out of respect for a true Belizean patriot. Mr. Goldson is at his
resting place and we should not be playing around with Mr. Goldson at all. As far as I am concerned - let him rest in peace. The Belizean people have total respect for Mr. Goldson. The municipality will show respect for him and we imagine Mr. Okeke is showing respect for him and the UDP show respect for Mr. Goldson so let us be mature and let's handle the Belizean patriot the way he should be treated."
Zenaida Moya, Mayor of Belize City
"We wanted to place him very prominently and so we just decided that a place where his bust can be displayed for not only visitors but for our own students and Belizeans to see is right here, right at the flag monument next to the Pallotti High School."
Keith Swift,
Are you pleased that it will be placed here?
Stephen Okeke, Sculptor
"I have to be frank with you - I am not hiding anything from anybody. The decision where to place it, because you have to decide where its more appropriate for you want to place it permanently."
Okeke says the bust will remain at Market Square for ten days. And while one controversy has been settled - another has sprung up. Okeke says it cost him $75,000 to complete the bronze bust and he says most of it came out of his pocket. Okeke declined to talk about the $70,000 he needs on camera but Mayor Zenaida Moya and Michael Finnegan were livid.
Stephen Okeke,
"It's a little uncomfortable for me to talk about money because I said on Monday I would not talk about money at all. It is just to enjoy the thing for the display and I thought we better sit down and talk about money rather than talk about money in the media. I am very uncomfortable with that right now."
Zenaida Moya,
"The mere fact that they have taken ownership I would call it for
this bust already I feel they should put their money where mouth is and ensure payment of it very quickly o we could get this bust where it should be, right in a very prominent place in the heart of the country of Belize."
Hon. Michael Finnegan,
"I thought that when Musa and all these big guns of the grand old party were out there and talking about this bust, I honestly thought that NICH had made its contribution towards the payment of this bust."
Again Okeke hasn't specified an exact for the cost. He did say though that he invested a lot of time and money.
