Barbados has made a major step towards preservation of its rich heritage, with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley announcing plans for construction of a major memorial at Newton, Christ Church, at the site where over 500 slaves were buried.
Additionally, the process of digitising close to 400 years of Barbados’ archival records is slated to begin.
Speaking yesterday during a press briefing at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre to officially launch the initiatives, Mottley explained that even though there was little to be proud of with regard to the country’s prominence in the Transatlantic Slave Trade, a moral duty was owed to preserve the historical record.
The Prime Minister said that apart from ensuring the world never forgets the atrocities of slavery, the project adds to Barbados’ cultural tourism product and will be a catalyst for similar investments. She did not disclose the cost of the project, noting only that it was part funded by Government while some private benefactors had come on board, with more expected to come. (CLM)
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