Protect cenotaph

Tue Sep 10, 2013

Editor: The cenotaph is a historical monument. It is my firm belief that very little knowledge or importance is placed on the cenotaph, its preservation, attraction and importance. After all, the cenotaph, popularly known as the “IRON MAN”, represents those who fought in the war, with the names of those who died in the war written on it.{{more}}

I remember as a child going to Kingstown, the first thing you wanted to see was the ‘IRON MAN’. If you did not know where it was and did not see it, then it is as though you never went to town. It was then a source of attraction for every child. Today, very little knowledge and importance is placed upon it. Children don’t look forward to it, nor do parents show their children this “IRON MAN”. What is sad also is that you have vagrants sleeping at the cenotaph. It also has spots of dirt and paint on some areas of it.

I often wonder if visitors are shown this monument. The IRON MAN, as well as other sites, can be used as tourism products. For example, a youngster who came to this country as a visitor was fascinated by the fact that we have both black sand and white sand. She remarked to me that we should market our sand as a tourism product. This idea of marketing our sand as a tourism product seemed strange and maybe to some, foolishness, but this young lady was fascinated by it and told her friends about it.

Of course, there are other products that we can market, such as many sites on the islands, including those wonderful waterfalls on the North Leeward coast, but that is for another time.

I would like that our younger generation have a good knowledge of the cenotaph and what it stands for and not just wait until it is memorial day to put wreaths. Let there be knowledge about it and an awareness of what it stands for. For truly, when there is a knowledge and awareness of the IRON MAN, then we can truly show some appreciation for it. Let us ensure that it is properly protected from vandalism and from becoming a home for vagrants. For, when it is a home for vagrants it is unsightly and gives a bad impression to visitors to our shores, who many times would take a picture of it and who knows may take a picture with vagrants sleeping there.

Kennard King