Paul Bogle, courtesy of the Jamaica Historical Society.

Restoration of the statue of National Hero Paul Bogle is expected to be complete by month end, says Coleen Douglas, director of communications at the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT).

The bronze statue, which stood in the town square of Morant Bay, St Thomas, since October 1965, was taken down in August after a large hole was discovered to its back. A mentally challenged man was charged by police for the damage.

Respected sculptor Fitz Harrack was commissioned by the JNHT to repair the statue, which was originally done by Edna Manley. Douglas says Harrack will make no changes to the piece, which depicts a bare-chested Bogle clasping a sword.

The renovation costs just over $1 million. Douglas said the JNHT will consult key 'stakeholders' before the statue is remounted.

"There are plans to meet with the residents of Morant Bay and descendants of Bogle to get their perspective," she said.

Controversy

The Bogle statue stands before the historic Morant Bay courthouse. One of over 100 landmarks listed as national monuments by the JNHT, it was unveiled 44 years ago by acting Prime Minister Donald Sangster to great controversy.

Many of the residents in Morant Bay disapproved of the figure, claiming it was too black. In the 1990s, police say a bullet caused minor damage to the statue's face.

Bogle was one of the leaders of the October 1865 Morant Bay Rebellion, an insurrection against the racist policies of colonial governor, Edward Eyre.

On October 11 that year, Bogle led a march of plantation workers on the Morant Bay courthouse, which resulted in the deaths of several of his followers, planters and members of the militia.

He was arrested and hanged on October 24. Bogle was made a national hero in 1969.

Some of Jamaica's historical landmarks have been hard hit. The statue of national hero and Jamaica's first prime minister, Sir Alexander Bustamante, which stands in downtown Kingston, was vandalised in the 1990s and had to be renovated.

In February 2007, the Morant Bay courthouse was destroyed by fire.