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Minister of Community Development and Culture, Steve Blackett??

Barbadians are being urged to be more committed to their heritage.

Minister of Community Development and Culture, Steve Blackett, made this call recently as he addressed a ceremony to commemorate the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, at Heroes Square, the City.

Minister Blackett stressed that Barbados must demonstrate a commitment to preventing the destruction of its heritage as well as to its protection and preservation.

???The required commitment can be partially manifested by preserving our historical buildings, by protecting and not defacing our environment, by ensuring proficiency in our languages- the local dialect, as well as the English Language – which is essential for discourse in formal and international fora. Their roles are different and our mastery of each language is to our personal and national advantage,??? he stressed.

Mr. Blackett added that other evidence of this commitment would be the documentation and showcasing of aspects of our heritage, the erection of signage and of historical snapshots capturing important events or periods of our history.

Noting that Government???s erection of a plaque to commemorate the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade was ???an expression to this commitment???, the Culture Minister stated that over time other signage would be erected to highlight places and events of historical or heritage value.

???We also expect to convince UNESCO that the City of Bridgetown and the Historic Garrison are entitled to be designated as World Heritage sites. Ultimately, we hope to achieve the same status for the Scotland District, a natural heritage and environmental project and for the story of sugar. These, we believe to be of outstanding universal value,??? he revealed. aalleyne@barbados.gov.bb

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