Dear Editor,

The Jamaica Observer opinion piece of Friday, September 5, 2014 by Franklin Johnston, entitled ‘The Ark of Return may be a monumental error’, questioned the relevance, rationale and location of the proposed permanent memorial monument in honour of the victims of slavery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

The ministry regrets that, despite the Observer’s comprehensive reportage on the initiative just after Emancipation Day 2014, the columnist has chosen to issue an unfortunate and dismissive broadside against this undertaking.

These are the facts.

The UN initiative to erect the monument was Jamaican-inspired and Caricom and African Union-endorsed. It was subsequently adopted unanimously by the membership of the United Nations. Countries from both the developed and developing world have contributed to the trust fund for the memorial.

At its core, the memorial is intended to expose the roots of modern-day racial prejudice, acknowledge the lingering consequences of the enslavement of and trade in Africans, and pay tribute to the resilience and courage of the estimated 17 million men, women and children who were sold as slaves in the trans-Atlantic slave trading system over 400 years.

It is intended to be global in scope and outreach and seeks to inspire the international community to examine the present while looking to the future. This is reflected in the underlying theme: ‘Acknowledging the tragedy, considering the legacy, lest we forget’.

In keeping with this theme, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has launched an international programme of outreach aimed at nurturing in the minds of youth mutual respect and due regard for each other’s culture, religion, race and ethnicity, as well as recognition of the inherent human dignity and inalienable human rights of all citizens across the globe.

As highlighted by Ambassador Raymond Wolfe, former permanent representative of Jamaica to the UN, in his interview with the Observer in August 2014, the monument will be mounted at UN headquarters at a place of prominence, easily accessible to delegates, UN staff and visitors.

The ministry is confident that the erection of the monument will be of lasting positive value to present and future generations. As indicated by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, when she unveiled the winning model in New York last September: “The design will undoubtedly serve to inspire the many persons who view the memorial and remind us to never allow such crimes against humanity ever again.”

Ambassador Paul Robotham

Permanent Secretary

Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade