A group of entrepreneurs has been praised for seizing an opportunity inspired by Barbados??? UNESCO World Heritage site: Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison.

Cube Publishing, a company led by 29-year-old Hermina Charlery, launched the island???s first Map and City Guide of Bridgetown and its Garrison yesterday, at the Waterfront Caf??, The City.

Showering accolades on the team, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley said, ???The achievement of these young persons is indicative of the many benefits and opportunities, which are now available as a result of the inscription of our capital city and it???s Garrison on UNESCO???s prestigious World Heritage List.???

Mr. Lashley added that the publication highlighted the creativity and ???entrepreneurial prowess??? of young people in Barbados.

???They showed great initiative, in my view, in recognising the potential of producing this publication and agreeing to highlight important aspects of our world heritage property in the form of a guide and a map, that will be extremely useful to Barbadians and visitors alike,??? he said.

The Culture Minister urged other persons to take advantage of the island???s world heritage site, pointing out that the UNESCO inscription acknowledged that the property was of Outstanding Universal Value.

He stressed that publishing the Map and City Guide of Bridgetown and its Garrison demonstrated that most youth are positive and serious about contributing to their country???s economic growth.

???I, sincerely, hope that many other young persons will follow the example of these young persons at Cube Publishing and explore all the innovative ways in which the inscription of Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison can be used to create new and exciting opportunities to generate income, and ultimately to earn much needed foreign exchange for Barbados,??? he stressed.

Mr. Lashley also reasoned that the publication was an important contribution to heritage tourism, indicating that the city guide was easy to read, visually appealing and provided a wealth of information for persons who wished to explore Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison and the city???s ???vibrant??? heritage.

Editor-in-Chief of Cube Publishing, Hermina Charlery, who is originally from St. Lucia, said she was inspired to produce the publication after initially visiting Bridgetown over nine years ago.

Describing Barbados??? capital as visually engaging, she said she was immediately infatuated with the Caribbean city. She recalled on her first visit she had tried ???a delicious coconut snow cone??? and after exploring quickly became lost as she sought to find Broad Street.

???I couldn???t understand the Bajan accent very well and I got a lot of what I now know are Bajan directions. Back then, I could really use a map,??? she said.

Ms. Charlery noted the UNESCO inscription of Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison further motivated her decision to publish the map and city guide.

Having received technical assistance from the Ministry of Culture, she explained that the map and city guide also included an events calendar, advice on ???things to see and do???, places to shop, accommodation and restaurants.

The 29-year-old entrepreneur said her company would utilise technology to enhance its product as well as to acquire feedback. She revealed that the Map and City Guide???s social media sites would be launched later this week while the Bridgetown and its Garrison mobile app, a virtual tour guide to the city, would be launched in May 2014.

shamkoe.pile@barbados.gov.bb

Author: Shamkoe Pil??

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