No concern whatsoever for heritage Published: Saturday, November 15, 2014 But just to ensure that no one thinks that the Greyfriars Church and hall are exceptions, don’t forget the old Public Library, which has been rotting just across the road from Greyfriars for years. This 113-year-old building now wears a tag promising renovation, to be completed by 2015; in mid-November 2014, work has not started and the facade is covered in wild vine. This is a crisis society in which the norm is for matters to reach a stage from which there is little chance of recovery before any action is taken. Take the frantic concern now being expressed by special interest groups over the apparent attempted demolition of the Greyfriars Church and hall. These 176-year-old architectural and historical treasures are only the latest examples of gross neglect. These buildings have been allowed to reach a stage of decay; indeed before special interest groups, preservation societies and government departments charged with the responsibility to preserve such buildings of historical importance are awakened from ostensible unconcern. The Church of Scotland, original owner of the building, was not able to upkeep or renovate it, and so sold it to a businessman. Realistically, what could have been expected from a businessman purchasing such prime property on the main commercial street in Port-of-Spain? Could he have been expected to preserve such structures or knock them down to construct shopping malls or office space for business? Questions could be asked too as to whether the church sought to ascertain whether there was any government interest in acquiring and restoring the building or whether it was offered for sale solely on a commercial basis. Now the government minister responsible for the National Trust has come forward to say the buildings were being considered as a heritage site by the trust and so were to be protected from demolition. There is no information on how long this consideration has been going on, or whether efforts were made to ensure that the buildings remained open for acquisition by the State. But just in case there is now to be a hurried attempt to declare the building protected, there is no trust board in place to make the declaration or to seek acquisition of the buildings. But just to ensure that no one thinks that the Greyfriars Church and hall are exceptions, don’t forget the old Public Library, which has been rotting just across the road from Greyfriars for years. This 113-year-old building now wears a tag promising renovation, to be completed by 2015; in mid-November 2014, work has not started and the facade is covered in wild vine. Across to the Savannah, where one of the so-called Magnificent Seven, Mille Fleurs, has now received a shroud. It is a cowshed-style roof similar to the one put over the Presidents House a few years ago when Minister Jack Warner promised it would be restored in 18 months. The Anglican Bishop’s house, Hayes Court, is also in a state of disrepair, as are at least three more of the “Magnificent Seven” and many more historic buildings around the country. Thankfully, one businessman with a sense of history and understanding of the need to protect the country’s architectural history acquired and restored the Gingerbread House. Only this week, the National Archives held a conference on the historical sites, clubs and other institutions of the city as a means of stirring the consciousness of the built past and the social history of the last 100 years. Given the record of apathy and neglect, there can be little hope that Greyfriars, the library and much else will survive this disregard. It is left to those institutions and individuals responsible for preserving the past to prove this pessimism wrong.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 18:14:52 +0000
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