SPBS, August 12th, 2015 -- The Society for the Restoration of Brimstone Hill was founded by volunteers on 10 April 1965. In 1987 Brimstone Hill Fortress was designated a National Monument under the National Conservation and Environmental Protection Act (NCEPA) and the Society's name was changed to the Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park Society (BHFNPS). The Society's board, is made up of unpaid volunteers who have distinguished themselves in local society.
The current President of the board is Sir Probyn Inniss, a former Governor of St. Kitts and Nevis. Day to day operations of the Society are the responsibility of a small, extremely hardworking and loyal paid staff. The General Manager is the Chief Executive Officer and also holds a non-voting seat on Council. The BHFNPS has the distinction of being one of the few NGOs in the world given a legal mandate to manage a National Park and set all necessary regulations.
In 1999 Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park was designated a World Heritage Site of "Outstanding Universal Value" by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Brimstone Hill Fortress was the first cultural heritage (man-made) site in the Eastern Caribbean to be inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
The BHFNPS, undertakes several outreach activities with the aim of raising awareness of our country’s rich heritage. These include the History & Heritage Month of Activities, which is conducted in collaboration with several governmental and non-governmental partners; the Easter Cannonball Hunt; the Emancipation Festival and the Independence Anniversary Brimstone Hill Run for the Fit and Fearless.
The Society, in partnership with Leiden University in the Netherlands and the Foundation for Maritime Archaeology in Curacao (STIMACUR), has since 2012 been engaged in a long term historical and archaeological research project on the historic port of Sandy Point and its anchorage. The Brimstone Hill Fortress and its sister fort, Charles Fort (along with several other fortifications), were constructed from the 17th century onwards mainly to defend the port of Sandy Point and the approaches to its anchorage. The project was initiated and is led by Mr. Cameron Gill, CEO of the BHFNPS.
Looking towards the future, the Society is working towards forging a closer relationship with the St. Christopher National Trust and the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society with the aim of cooperating in areas such as grant applications and raising public awareness. The Society is actively pursuing the possibility of having Charles Fort, one of the oldest intact and original masonry fortifications in the Eastern Caribbean, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Society was recently successful in its efforts to have Charles Fort vested in the National Trust and the Trust has turned over management of the site to the Society.
In 2015, the BHFNPS is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of its founding. Several activities are taking place to mark this milestone in the history of an organization which has not only been responsible for protecting and restoring one of the world’s most significant historic fortifications but that has also been instrumental in making one of the world’s tiniest Small Island Developing States (SIDS) an important heritage tourism destination.
SPBS congratulations BHFNPS on being chosen for this award. The Award will be presented on Saturday September 5, 2015 at Maestro’s Ballroom, Bronx, NY.
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