'I would have liked to have sculpted Dame Lois'

Mr. Fountain joins other local artists in opposition to the fact that local artists were not apparently given the opportunity to put forward a bid for the commission.

American sculptor Zenos Frudakis was instead commissioned to create the statue.

The artist’s anger came shortly after Deputy Premier Derrick Burgess announced, with regards to the commission, “the government meant no disrespect to any Bermudian artist whose work we value enormously”.

Mr. Fountain told the Bermuda Sun: “What dismayed me in particular was what Mr. Burgess said — the point I’d like to make is that it is a disrespect to the entire Bermuda community. Nobody here was asked or given the opportunity to even bid for it.

“On the same page they are publicizing Buy Bermuda. That is what we would call an improper equation — they are taking our money, spending it abroad and not supporting the local economy.

“I would have been very happy, at least to have been offered the chance.”

Mr. Burgess also said in his address in the House of Assembly earlier this month: “Quite simply, our decision to engage the services of Mr. Frudakis was based upon his international reputation, his ability to deliver the sculpture on time at relatively short notice and the reasonable cost of the work.”

Mr. Fountain claimed he had heard from “a credible source” that the American commission may have been put on hold due to financial constraints — a rumour hotly denied by a government spokesman.

Mr. Frudakis has done sculptures of Martin Luther King Jr., Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as well as the National Air Force Memorial Honour Guard sculpture which overlooks the Pentagon.