Missed opportunities for heritage preservation at Hope Gardens

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Dear Editor,

The clock is ticking and it is a race against time as I try to meet the deadline for completing my thesis on 'Creating a Museum of the Historic Hope Lands, St Andrew'.

Despite this, it would be remiss of me, in the year that Jamaicans will be celebrating 50 years of Independence from colonial rule, not to share two examples of the neglected opportunities in Heritage preservation that need to be addressed in a tangible way, even if to salvage some semblance of national pride.

The first relates to the restoration of a building that is of historical significance. This building was believed to be used as a hospital for the enslaved persons of African decent who lived on the Hope Estate.

Historian BW Higman in his book, Jamaica Surveyed: Plantations Maps and Plans of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries, indicated that the overseers' house and the hospital were in close proximity to each other. Both buildings still remain at Hope Gardens in an area believed to be the works of the sugar plantation, which is in close proximity to the Hope Aqueduct.

The other case of historical neglect has to do with the non-recognition of the location of the site where the Ministry of Agriculture building was first located. This is in close proximity to the security post at the main entrance close to the huge fountain sponsored by Digicel.

It is recommended that the area be cleaned and a plaque or obelisk be used to identify the location. It appears to be an indictment on the Jamaican people of African decent to have a slave hospital which should be a national monument in such a state of disrepair, even as we make plans to celebrate 50 years of Independence. At the very least, it seems to be the height of disrespect to the memory of our ancestors.

Joan Francis

MA Heritage Studies Student

Department of History and Archaeology

University of the West Indies

Mona Campus

Francisj16@yahoo.com

Building believed to be hospital of the enslaved of the Hope Estate, St Andrew located at Hope Gardens near to the nursery

Interior of the building showing the advanced state of deterioration.

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Missed opportunities for heritage preservation at Hope Gardens