Published 12 September 2018
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 12, 2018 (SKNIS): Government officials in St. Kitts and Nevis are encouraging persons with pictures of any of the five National Heroes to submit them for exhibition in the Welcome Centre at the first ever National Heroes Park.
The centre will feature profiles, pictures and information on the late Right Excellencies Sir Robert L. Bradshaw, Sir C. A. Paul Southwell, Sir Joseph N. France and Sir Simeon Daniel, as well as Dr. the Right Excellent and Right Honourable Sir Kennedy A. Simmonds, the only living National Hero. Lifelike statues of the foremost nation builders will also be unveiled at the park during a ceremony on Monday, September 17.
Osbert DeSuza, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, has been spearheading the construction and development of the park, which commenced in 2016. He noted that the ambience has been completely transformed since then and appealed to persons with photographs of the five prominent nation builders to have them included as part of history.
“If you have any photos of any one of our National Heroes that you think is worth exhibiting at the National Heroes Park then we invite you to make contact with me,” he said. “I will come, of course with the experts, and we will look at them. We will not take them from you. What we will do is we will take photos of them and have those photos developed so you will not lose your photos.”
Mr. DeSuza can be contacted at Government Headquarters at telephone 467-1030.
The first ever National Heroes Park in St. Kitts and Nevis is designed to elicit a sense of pride and patriotism from nationals, and to educate visitors about the enormous contributions of the five men.
“That should make all of us feel very happy that we can now have a place where we can show off the persons who have made contributions to the development and advancement of the lives of the people of this country over the past century,” permanent secretary DeSuza noted.
Government’s intention to highlight the legacy of the National Heroes, particularly to the younger generation, has been commended by many at home and abroad.
The park is currently being prepared for the traditional National Heroes Day ceremony where family and friends of the five prominent nation builders, government leaders, diplomatic representatives, and others pay their respect. The ceremony usually is held on September 16 but this year it will occur on Monday, September 17, given that the 16th falls on a Sunday. As such, Monday has been declared a public holiday by the Governor General. The ceremony begins at 8 a.m. and is open to the general public.
