Construction on the National Archives building on Homestretch Avenue is in its final stages and it should be open before the end of the year, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony said on Tuesday.
Anthony, accompanied by Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh, Permanent Secretary in the Culture Ministry Keith Booker and other stakeholders visited the location to assess the progress of the works.
According to a Govern-ment Information Agency (GINA) press release shelves are being installed and other final touches being added. “We are aiming for the end of this month to have the building completed and we will set a date for the official opening of the archives,” Anthony said.
The National Archives will be named after Walter Rodney and will be decorated with historical artifacts. These include a portrait of Rodney that was done in the late 1980s by an artist affiliated to the Working People’s Alliance and which Rodney’s brother Hubert donated to the minister on October 30. According to Anthony, the portrait will be hoisted to a prominent position since it is the only one of its kind in the archives.