BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Sugar Factory, which once stood majestically as its massive chimney threw smoke into the atmosphere signalling to all who would bear witness that it was the heart of the sugar industry, is now stripped of its glory and lays wasted…a derelict.
The sugar industry, which had been part of the social, cultural and economic landscape of this Federation for more than 300 years, came to an end in July 2005. It was our main industry although the country had experience with agriculture and was moving full-force into tourism.
After the sugar industry closed, it was suggested that the Sugar Factory at Kittstodart be transformed into a museum, preserving the equipment and structures there as a monument of our past for tourists and upcoming generations to glean from.
Social commentator and former Minister of Government, G. A. Dwyer Astaphan is of the view that while a golden opportunity to make this a reality has been lost, all hopes have not.
“Much has been lost but I wouldn’t say all have been lost. And it is a pity because a lot of what would be artifacts there and elsewhere throughout the islands have been sold off and pilfered just like some of the cannons around the island.
“But this has always been discussed and I think this is a good point to establish a museum there. It would make an excellent visitor site. They can demolish some of the old stuff there and just maintain a well-considered facility…”
Astaphan said in giving consideration to this, it must be remembered that the area houses a number of production centres and he does not envisage that would interfere with the establishment of a sugar factory museum.
With corrosion destroying much of the metal structural framework, he said the factory “has been allowed to deteriorate to the point where we’ve not only lost so much of our industrial heritage, but it is an eyesore”.
As a possible first move, Astaphan suggested that Government should take the lead in establishing a committee which would initiate public discussion.
“The Government has sufficient institutional resources to set up a focal point within it, but they will have to work hand-in-hand with our heritage people, the National Museum. We have some historians on the island, we have some people who have been involved in the industry for years, a lot of the older heads have passed on but there are still people.
“Have a conversation about it, let somebody come up with a conceptual rendering and let that be discussed. When you engage the public in these things, that really is symptomatic of government by the people. It is not just doing it for and of the people, but the people are involved; so it’s by the people. And it’s exciting and it’s absolutely necessary. It’s a quintessential element of our culture, our heritage and our patrimony.”
Individuals born in the early 2000s or even in the late 1990s might not remember anything about the industry for which St. Kitts and Nevis was known. Worse yet, those born after the industry would have closed would only hear of it.
But according to Astaphan, they should also be afforded the opportunity to at least see a physical structure to complement the knowledge they would have received about the sugar factory and the sugar industry.
