Lucea mayor announces new standards after Christmas-tree backlash
Published:Monday | January 13, 2025 | 12:06 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
Western Bureau:
Following the stinging criticisms about the natural pine Christmas tree that was mounted in Lucea, Hanover, over the just concluded Christmas season, the town’s mayor Sheridan Samuels says that going forward, they will be using a blend of both natural and artificial trees.
Despite that, plans to go the blended route in the future, Samuels nonetheless said the tree, which was erected in the James Lawrence Park, in the Sir Alexander Bustamante Square, in Lucea, was “a most beautiful one”, and said the proposed changes going forward was not because of the criticisms which were levied.
“We have plans for this year 2025, in terms of the Christmas tree itself, wherein we are proposing that we have a very large artificial tree in front of the municipal corporation building, near to a small natural pine tree, which is growing there,” explained Samuels.
Persons, who were critical of the Christmas tree, said it was not properly groomed as it did not have the traditional conical shape and was not properly decorated, causing it to pale in comparison to the Christmas trees in the neighbouring St James and Westmoreland, where artificial trees were used.
“We have decided that the tree that we have will stay, and then this year, we make preparation to have another tree, so we are thinking about putting a very large one (artificial tree) at the front of the HMC building,” said Samuels. “We have made contacts with the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation to find out where they got their artificial tree.”
“So that is the plan that we have, and it is not because of any pressure, instead it is because of the vision that the planning committee for the occasion has,” said Samuels, while noting that the recent Christmas tree lighting ceremony and the children’s Christmas treat was a resounding success.
Samuels, who had complained in mid-December that the children’s treat would be challenging to stage because the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), which they were depending on for funding, had not approved their request for support, said there was a re-think on the part of the government agency, which came forward and matched what they had offered in 2023.
“I want to thank the TEF and all the other contributors for their support for the planned activities for the period,” said Samuels.