Government has agreed to step up maintenance in a park after complaints from an artist that an area around a memorial to people lost at sea had been allowed to fall into disrepair.

Bermudian artist Bill (Mussey) Ming said maintenance of Great Head Park, in St. David’s, where his sculpture, ‘Figurehead’, is sited was substandard.

Mr. Ming was left shocked and angry last week by what he saw as the untidy state of the East End beauty spot where he found unmowed grass, weeds, broken glass, litter and golf tees.

But following an inspection by a Parks Department technical officer, a Ministry of Environment spokesperson said the park was found to be “overall in a very good state”.

However, the spokesperson said the inspector also found some low level maintenance needed to be done, including weeding and trimming of a new path.

The Parks officer reported that: “The rye/Bermuda grass combination in the vicinity of the memorial needs a quick mow, and the broad leaf weeds around the park need to be sprayed.”

The spokesperson said: “He picked up the only piece of trash he could find, which was a broken, brown-bag kite.

“The type of amendments needed in the park are typical of a site after it has been renovated.”

Nevertheless, the Ministry has pledged that, in future, the park “will be maintained on a regular schedule, approximately every three to four weeks”.

“It will receive spot spraying of broadleaf weed herbicide, the edging of the path will be cut as per normal and the area around the memorial will receive normal grass cutting. During 2007, plugs of floratam (grass) will be planted and allowed to establish and further culling of invasive species will continue.”

The Ministry further pledged that it “will continue the phased restoration of the park and St. David’s Battery as part of the World Heritage Site”.

“Works will include new fencing to be erected on the battery parapet, (and) restoration will continue to the historic guns and magazines,” it said.

In terms of Mr. Ming’s publicly expressed anger about the overall state of the memorial park, the source said the Ministry was “unaware” of his concerns adding it would have “gladly discussed them with him, as the department has been involved in the development of the memorial from the beginning”.

It also invited anyone with any concerns “about parks to please contact the department on 236-5901.