MoBay deputy mayor lauds Issa for 62-foot ‘Together We Rise’ monument

ST JAMES, Jamaica — Deputy Mayor of Montego Bay Councillor Dwight “Debo” Crawford has hailed hotelier Christopher Issa for his role in transforming the city’s popular Jimmy Cliff Boulevard, describing a newly unveiled 62-foot monument commissioned by the businessman as a symbol of unity, resilience and renewed civic pride. The towering sculpture, titled Together We Rise, by renowned Jamaican sculptor Scheed Cole, was unveiled Wednesday evening at 5 Jimmy Cliff Boulevard, popularly known as the Hip Strip, where Issa’s investments have helped reshape the tourism corridor. “What we're doing here tonight is far more than unveiling of a statue. This is the genesis of great thinking for the Hip Strip,” Crawford declared during the ceremony. He described the artwork— two hands lifting a tree as people climb and build together— as representing the collective effort required to move Montego Bay forward. "It tells our story. It's about unity, resilience, and growth,” he said. Crawford expressed confidence that the monument would inspire other businesses along the boulevard to invest in public art, culture and beautification. He praised Issa, chief executive officer of S Hotel, for turning  ideas into tangible developments. “The S Hotel family and the stakeholders group have shown what happens when the private sector leads with heart,” Crawford said. Issa explained that the idea for Together We Rise emerged from the success of another major installation commissioned by him and created by Cole — a 46-foot sculpture of Jamaica’s national bird, the streamer-tail hummingbird, popularly known as the doctor bird, mounted on the façade of S Hotel in August 2025. The positive public response to the bird, encouraged him to consider another monument. The original plan was to celebrate Jamaica’s musical heritage, including mento, ska and reggae, but the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa prompted a rethink. “So the statue is not really about Melissa, but it was born of Melissa, and the message is, of course, the resilience of our Jamaican people, the suffering and loss of life that happened in really the strongest hurricane to this part of the world, and also the message of the help we got both from fellow Jamaicans and the international community,” Issa said. He noted that the sculpture was completed in August, but the unveiling was held on the hurricane’s first anniversary to commemorate the disaster and the spirit of recovery. Cole said the monument was also informed by his own childhood experiences of abandonment and the kindness of a woman who offered him food and shelter when he had nowhere else to turn. He credited that helping hand with influencing the course of his life. “My life today is a consequence of a helping hand,” he said. The sculptor explained that the lower section of the monument portrays survival amid rising floodwaters, with fingers  depicting an elderly woman handing a baby to a younger relative in an effort to save the next generation, while a soldier reaches out to a distressed woman, urging her not to give up. The upper section represents renewal, with images of people rebuilding and elements of Jamaican culture re-emerging. A tree rising through the structure symbolises life nurtured by shared love and support. “If we do not walk hand in hand, then there is no future for us,” Cole said. Janet Silvera, chair of the Hip Strip Stakeholders Group, also praised Issa, whose investments have helped change the face of Montego Bay. “For me, he is Jamaica's cultural icon, and he understands that,” Silvera said. She said the monument is  a valuable contribution to the city, adding to the cultural identity of a district that has experienced both vibrancy and decline. The installation complements other initiatives commissioned by Issa, including colourful murals unveiled as part of an art walk created by S Hotel along Jimmy Cliff Boulevard, celebrating Jamaica’s musical heritage, particularly reggae, ska and dancehall.