BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, September 1, 2017 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Government officials were today (September 1) given the assurance that the historic National Heroes Park will be in a state of readiness to host this year’s National Heroes Day ceremony, which is expected to leave those who will attend with a memorable experience.
This assurance was given when St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, led a group of officials, including Chairperson of the Independence Committee, Senator the Honourable Wendy Phipps; Chairman of the National Heroes Park Committee, Mr. Osbert DeSuza; Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, the Honourable Akilah Byron-Nisbett; Cabinet Secretary, Mrs. Josephine Huggins; Commander of the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Wallace and other members of the Independence Committee on a tour of the facility.
Mr. DeSuza, who is also Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, said a significant amount of work on the park has been completed to date including on the fencing, gates, entry booth and monument base.
In giving an update on the monuments of the five National Heroes, Mr. DeSuza said, “At least four of the monuments are in the process of being shipped to the Federation so we can have them installed in time for the sixteenth. I want to take this opportunity to invite everyone to come out on the sixteenth to the ceremony and you will see the work that is being done. I’m sure that it will please you that in a short space of a year we have been able to move this project along to a state of readiness.”
Prime Minister Harris expressed his satisfaction with the progress of work being done on the facility that will house monuments of the St. Kitts and Nevis’ five most prominent contributors.
He said, “We are satisfied that we have been witnessing progress, and indeed as persons walk about and they come to see what is happening, more and more persons are congratulating the National Heroes Park Committee for a splendid selection in terms of the site and they are commending the Team Unity Administration for giving birth to that idea and for the inclusiveness which is signified in the pathway to the development and growth of our country.”
The prime minister continued, “We are looking forward to September 16 with all the excitement, with all the pomp et cetera., that will be paraded on that day but most importantly we are looking forward to saying thank you to those who have contributed to the development of St. Kitts-Nevis and to provide inspiration from and through their work to the rest of the citizenry of St. Kitts and Nevis.”
The St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister further noted that from the onset, his administration realized the importance of having dedicated and central location where persons can visit to pay their respects and remember the lives and contributions of Dr. the Right Honourable and the Right Excellent Sir Kennedy A. Simmonds, and the Late Right Excellencies, Sir Robert L. Bradshaw, Sir Caleb Azariah Paul Southwell, Sir Joseph N. France, and Sir Simeon Daniel.
“This park was an idea that was given life by Team Unity as part of our broader outreach in our efforts at national development. We indicated…in 2015 that it was important for a nation with five National Heroes—the largest number of National Heroes per capita anywhere in the world—that there ought to be an appropriate location where our citizens, residents and well-wishers including our visitors could go to see our National Heroes.”
The National Heroes Park is earmarked to be fully completed by mid 2018.
Upon completion, the park will feature a welcome center, kiosks, an amphitheater, and a pavilion.
