David Denny, General Secretary of the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration.
THE Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration (CMPI) is standing in solidarity with Pan Africanist, Trevor Prescod, who recently spoke out against Government’s decision to lease the once official home of the first Prime Minister of Barbados, the Rt. Excellent Errol Walton Barrow, to the charitable organisation the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Barbados.
Prescod has suggested that another site be considered for the charity and steps be taken to preserve the building, in remembrance of Errol Barrow. He maintained that the Ministry of Culture or another government entity should be allowed to use the building.
David Denny, General Secretary of the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration, meanwhile says the site is a sacred one and he too believes that the charity should be given another site for use, perhaps one of the buildings next to the Garrison Savannah. He also suggested that Barrow’s former home should be turned into a museum.
“Our movement wants to stand in solidarity with the statement from the Hon. Trevor Prescod, who spoke (recently) in the House of Assembly in Barbados, to explain his position as it relates to the Duke of Edinburgh International group in Barbados setting up its headquarters at the official home for the first Prime Minister of Barbados immediately after our Independence,” Prescod said in a statement issued to The Barbados Advocate and broadcast across social media platforms.
“Comrades and friends, the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration fully supports Trevor Prescod’s statement and we object also to the Government of Barbados giving the Duke of Edinburgh International group that space that housed our former prime minister. For us, this space must be considered as sacred ground,” he continued.
He stressed, “Our action is not against the Duke of Edinburgh International organisation in Barbados, because we know that that group has been doing some very good work, but we would like to recommend to the Government of Barbados, that if you want to give that group an official residence in Barbados, the best place for that group would be one of the buildings next to the Garrison Savannah.”
“The Government of Barbados should set up a museum at the former residence of Errol Barrow and a museum that will recognise our Independence struggle,” he added. (RSM)