(Jamaica Observer) NEW YORK, USA — A permanent memorial to honour Jamaican nationals who died in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 will be erected at the British Garden at Hanover Square, in lower Manhattan.
Jamaica has joined other Commonwealth nations — Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom — in making the British Garden a permanent memorial for its 9/11 victims.
On Memorial Day, November 11, 2011 — 10 years and one month after the terrible attacks — Jamaica’s Consul General to New York Dr Geneive Brown Metzger laid a wreath in honour of the Jamaicans who died when the two towers collapsed. The consul general participated with the full endorsement of the Jamaican Government.
“The Jamaicans who perished in the attacks on the World Trade Center will never be forgotten by their families and homeland. This memorial, in the heart of New York City, is a fitting tribute and I am honoured to be able to lead the official recognition of their sacrifice to their adopted homeland,” said Dr Brown Metzger
Located in lower Manhattan, the British Garden is a joint project between the British Consulate and the St George’s Society in New York. It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010 and its founding was prompted by a desire to honour and memorialise the 67 Britons who lost their lives in the tragic attacks.
Since then, the purpose of the British Garden has been expanded to also honour other Commonwealth natives who died in the attacks. Royal Patron of the British Garden at Hanover Square is HRH the Prince of Wales.
Consul General Dr Brown Metzger is a member of the board of directors of the St George’s Society and co-chair of the Commonwealth Committee. In her role as director, she conceptualised the society’s Commonwealth Award in 2009 — the first of which was presented in 2010 to Jamaican-American Entrepreneur Vincent Hosang, president of Royal Caribbean Bakery, by the Prince of Gloucester, who is also Royal Patron of the Society.
“The British Garden at Hanover Square is most honoured and pleased to welcome its Jamaican brothers and sisters to the Garden, where they are uniting in a permanent memorial to those lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks with nationals of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand,” said Victor E Stewart, chairman of the Garden.
He said that the garden is planning to place a suitable marker reflecting “Jamaica’s participation in the Garden during the year”.
