Hanna wants Bob Marley named national hero

For the second time in 12 years, parliamentarians have an opportunity to cause the country's highest honour, The Order of National Hero, to be bestowed on Bob Marley, one of Jamaica's most famous sons.

Lisa Hanna, the member of parliament for St Ann South East yesterday moved a motion in the House of Representatives for the reggae legend to be named as a national hero.

On the last occasion, a parliamentary committee accepted a report from a committee chaired by the late Professor Rex Nettleford, which said that no new national hero should be named. The Nettleford committee recommended that a new order be created - the Order of Jamaican Heritage - and bestowed on individuals such as Louise Bennett Coverley and Marley, who made significant contributions to Jamaica's heritage.

Now, Hanna, in whose constituency Marley was born, has called on fellow legislators to debate her motion and call upon the Governor General to take the necessary steps for the national honour of the Order of National Hero to be conferred on Marley.

Describing the reggae superstar as an "international crusader for peace, love and equality", Hanna said that Marley should be named national hero this year as the country observed its 60th year of independence.

Hanna, in the motion which she hopes will be debated in a timely manner, argued that Marley, through his music, "stirred movements for revolutionary social change, which have helped and continue to shape black consciousness and courage to fight against systems of injustice towards the marginalised and dispossessed in Jamaica and globally".

She said that Marley has led the peoples of the world to recognise and accept our Jamaican indigenous reggae music, our indigenous spiritual practices and culture of Rastafarianism.

"Bob Marley is already a global hero for many persons worldwide, who have erected statues of his likeness to inspire their people," Hanna said, while noted that the National Hero motto, 'He built a city which hath foundations', is clearly evidenced in the life and works of the One Love hitmaker.