BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ARGUABLY, St. Kitts is the historical hub of the Caribbean. The island of a mere 68 square miles has chronicled some of the most significant events in Caribbean History that created a platform upon which the history of many neighbouring islands are connected.
St. Kitts boasts world-renowned heritage sites, the remains of a 300-year sugar industry, a panoply of flora and fauna and an exquisite composition of cultural heritage. Yet, while the island has made great strides in the areas of tourism, housing, and financial services development, preservation of heritage and the promotion of the island’s culture seem to have been sacrificed to accommodate the thrust towards a service-oriented economy.
However, over two decades ago, when a group of historians and researchers on the island recognised that its heritage was slowly being interred, efforts were quickly made to preserve and promote the unique aspects that often went unheard.
In June 1989, the group struggled with the decision whether to reactivate the dormant St. Kitts Heritage Trust or to delve into something new. And, after much deliberation, the St. Christopher Heritage Society (SCHS) was born. The Society was then registered under the Company Act of St. Kitts and Nevis in 1994 as a national, non-governmental, voluntary organisation.
According to the first and current President of the Society, Jacqueline Armony, seeking to foster a deeper understanding of the island and attempting to preserve its natural and historical sites were onerous tasks. But with the assistance of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Trading and Development Company (TDC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Society was able to be temporarily housed at the corner of Bank and West Independence Square Streets. Contributions by these organisations also allowed the Society to outfit its office, employ a secretary and collect and organise data.
In 2000, the group was able to lobby for the use of the partially-restored old treasury building enabling it to maintain an exhibition area, documentation centre, reading and meeting rooms and storage area for a growing collection of artefacts. To date, SCHS is still housed in the old treasury building which was once the gateway to historic Basseterre – a symbol that the Society would also stand as the gateway to preserving heritage in a post-colonial era.
In the words of Armony: “The intellectual and managerial exposure associated with that project also greatly contributed to capacity building within the society. While there is no doubt that the actions that have led to the realisation of an idea and the creation of the heritage society have been many and have borne fruit, the achievement of the past years must not be overshadowed as there is much work that remains to be done.”
How important is preserving heritage?
Many people often question the relevance of a Heritage Society in 21st Century St. Kitts as the island, like almost every other Caribbean island, is poised on the cusp of rapid tourism development and regional integration. However, according to Lecturer of Caribbean Studies and History at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) Vaughan Woodley, it must be noted that preservation of a people’s heritage and the promotion of a people’s way of life fit appropriately in the holistic tourism development of any island. In fact, it is this preservation that gives each destination its inimitability and encourages not just an attractive tourism product but a sustainable one also, says Woodley.
“The preservation of heritage must be seen as a vehicle not only to celebrate the past but also to be guided by past mistakes. Especially in this era of globalisation where the world is shrinking to one global village, small developing states like St. Kitts-Nevis may be lost in the crowd. And, preserving our heritage, culture and our general history would give us a sense of identity,” Woodley asserted.
The History Lecturer made it clear that while it is critical for a nation to preserve its heritage, especially to gain an advantage in offering a unique tourism product, there are not enough efforts made to do so in St. Kitts. He however commended local historians, archivists and the St. Christopher Heritage Society for seeking to raise awareness of heritage and culture with the limited resources made available to them.
Since its inception in 1989, the SCHS has undertaken a list of major projects and activities designed with the specific purpose of preserving and promoting the island’s heritage and culture. It has co-hosted the Quality of Life Conferences, developed the country’s environmental profile, catalogued the island’s major historical sites and implemented a biodiversity study. The Society was also able to organise a medicinal plants project and maintain a permanent exhibition of photographs and information, as it continues to collect books and documents to enlarge its video library.
Even Armony confirmed Woodley’s opinion as she explained that while the Society’s contributions to the preservation of heritage remain invaluable, there has not been a general appreciation of the available information by the public.
“It may be true that through our advocacy and public awareness programmes certain sensitivities to the importance of our natural and cultural resources have been heightened. Too often though, our citizens and developers demonstrate ignorance in areas where expertise exists within the country and the lack of adherence to certain stated government policies and the laws of the land is a source of great frustration,” she said.
The Golden Transition into a National Trust
Limited financial resources and technical support have not slowed the progress made by the St. Christopher Heritage Society. In fact, the last years of its existence have seen much debate surrounding a transition from a society to a national trust – a step that Armony describes as “a natural progression”.
But, the dynamism and implications of a national trust can in no means be encapsulated in such few words, according to National Archivist of 20 years and ardent proponent of heritage preservation Victoria O’Flaherty.
Giving contrasting characteristics regarding measures of influence, O’ Flaherty explained that a society may be considered as the nation’s “social conscience” and highlights areas of concern and propose recommendations. She added that it usually does not have the necessary resources to make changes that are coherent with the organisation’s objectives.
On the other hand, a national trust, as O’Flaherty explained, has the financial and technical wherewithal not only to recommend areas of interest and/or concern, but also to preserve sites and strike a more tangible impact.
“This is definitely one of the most significant milestones. They have been working toward this for a long time now. In fact, we [St. Kitts] are probably one of the few places in the Caribbean that do not have one. So, it’s not only a great milestone because the Society wanted it for some time, but also because it is needed. If we want to sell St. Kitts as the historical centre of the Caribbean, as it rightfully is, then we need this. We really need to start becoming conscious of this,” O’Flaherty passionately stated.
She reiterated that any development within the historical sector is important as it helps to better sell the island as a destination rich with history and heritage. The national trust should ensure a more active approach to the preservation of heritage, especially natural and historical sites, in order to have more impact, O’Flaherty concluded.
On Thursday, April 22 the second and third readings of the National Trust Bill took place in the National Assembly. According to SCHS officials, the emergence of the SCHS into a National Trust would give the work of the organisation a greater degree of visibility and authority and is expected to widen the gateway to the preservation of heritage in the historical hub of the region.
