Dear Editor,
As one of the people who was part of the restoration of the 1763 monument in 1999, I am wondering why this National Monument is not being cleaned, lit up and having the fountain flowing for cricket world cup.
I am not talking about the grass being cut and two lights thrown up, as was done recently, that is not enough.
I read in the newspaper that the National Trust whose responsibility it is to upkeep all our national monuments, restored the Court of Policy on Fort Island. That was good. Is the 1763 monument not as important to Guyana’s national history as the Court of Policy?
I see the Ministry of Health is well lit up , again I ask the question, is the Ministry of Health building more important than the 1763 monument? The President asked Guyanese to be patriotic at a public function recently, is this how we do it?
We have the office of the President less than 100 metres from the 1763 monument and I ask, how does the President feel when so many Heads of State visit his office and see our national monument in such condition?
The 1763 monument is the work of Guyana’s most famous artist Elder Phillip Moore, whose works are on display at universities and other places all over the world. Does the government find it difficult to showcase this masterful work of art to the world during world cup?
The 1763 monument is described by artist Aubrey Williams as ‘the greatest standing sculpture of the Caribbean’ in GT&T’s 2007 telephone directory.
Yours faithfully,
Ras Cali