THE recent function to unveil the plaque announcing UNESCO’s recognition of Blue and John Crow Mountains as a World Heritage Site was a particularly proud moment for the maroons of Moore Town in Portland, whose lobby assisted in making it a reality.

The unveiling of the plaque, which is located in the vicinity of the monument of the national heroine, was witnessed by many. This is the only such declared heritage site in the Caribbean.

“Today we stand here proud,” Moore Town Maroon Colonel Wallace Sterling told those in attendance.

In paying homage to other maroon colonels, he noted that their contribution helped to make the occassion a possibility. Sterling used the occassion to appeal to all to protect the heritage site. “…The people of this area, the Windward Maroon, we have worked hard and I am hoping that we will continue to protect this heritage of ours,” he said.

“When we travelled all the way to Germany in July of this year, when we were declared as a World Heritage Site it was an overwhelming joy for us as a team, and the appreciation that was shown to us by all the other delegations that were present is something that is etched on our mind and is not something that were are going to be forgetting anytime soon,” Sterling said.

He noted that this moment in Jamaica is one for the Maroons, the people of the Blue and John Crow Mountain and for the world.

“This is a time of jubilation for the people’s culture and the beauty, and we must appreciate what we have and protect the environment and plant a tree or two whenever you cut down one to mitigate against global warming, and protect the cronies and stop hunting them down as they are an endangered species” he appealed.

Meanwhile, Minister of Culture Lisa Hanna said the designation will open up opportunities for heritage tourism. In lauding the efforts of those who assist in making this a reality, Hanna pointed out that the drive to have the site so declared began some 10 years ago, but was intensified in the last two years. This, she said, will open up more tourism opportunities for Jamaica.

“If you think back to our history and understand that 100 years before full freedom a set of people right here, and then another set over there in St Elizabeth, were able to beat the British, it really is a statement and testimony to the kind of blood we have in our genetic make-up,” she said, adding, “We are a very courageous people, and so our culture has been recognised.

Pointing out that Jamaica’s culture extends beyond our boundaries, the minister said the country must be recognised in a very real way for that heritage.

“…If it was not for the maroons in this community, we would not have been able to get the job done. We lobbied and we were the only small island state sitting on that 21 member committee two years ago,” she said.

Hanna said they got the oportunity to understand the technical input that goes into getting a world heritage site. Jamaica, she said, is now recognised in the world as a technical expert in world heritage. “People are now coming to Jamaica to ask for our expertise on how to get a world heritage site and we don’t take that lightly,” she said.

She noted that having something that has outstanding universal value is not uncommon or unfamiliar to Jamaicans.

A resident of Moore Town who identified herself only as Sheryl, in welcoming the recognition, said she is looking forward to the economic value to be achieved.

“This is good and I hope that it will bring jobs, as there are no jobs here and nothing for the youths in the community to do,” she said.

Shenea, another resident, said the event puts the maroons on the globe where productivity is concerned. “I look forward for all the other resources and the productivity and production that will be created from this event.”

The plaque was unveiled by Hanna and UNESCO representative for Science Programme Cezar Toro.