Councillor hopes new resource centre will help preserve Sligoville’s heritage
Published:Saturday | June 25, 2022 | 12:09 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
Amid growing fears that the historical significance of Sligoville in St Catherine could be forgotten by future generations, a resource centre has been opened in what was Jamaica’s first free village after Emancipation, to preserve its legacy and showcase its rich heritage.
Councillor for the Sligoville division, Dwight Burke, lamented that this step was necessary as there has been reluctance in declaring the village 10 miles north of Spanish Town a national historical site.
“This resource centre will facilitate those persons who have contributed over the years to the development of Sligoville’s rich history, and at the same time provide the avenue whereby their works and those of other agencies such as the Jamaica [National] Heritage Trust and the Institute of Jamaica can be preserved,” Burke said of the centre opened in the Sligoville square on Thursday. “By doing this as a community, we will be able to capitalise on all the benefits that the history of place can bring to its development.”
Burke said he has partnered with some local community-based groups and is now having discussions with the Institute of Jamaica, the National Library of Jamaica and the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, to see how an eLibrary can be established to allow persons to glean information on the historic settlement.
Opposition Leader Mark Golding, who was the guest speaker at the launch, underscored the importance of history in creating assets to improve livelihoods.
“It is important that we create assets out of potential assets, and history is a powerful asset that can enhance the well-being and livelihood of people, not only in economic terms, which is a major part of it,” Golding noted
He added that it also helps to foster understanding and self-awareness and the ability to cope in a world where there is so much misinformation, negative stereotypes and incorrect images being portrayed through modern technology and the media.
Golding said that, having learned of the goal of the resource centre, he is pleased that persons have recognised the centrality of the history of the country and its people.
Spanish Town Mayor Norman Scott, who chairs the St Catherine Municipal Corporation, and St Catherine North Central Member of Parliament Natalie Neita-Garvey, also gave the venture their blessing. Scott underscored the importance of the initiative in the context of Sligoville’s history and Neita-Garvey described it as significant.
An Internet café will be opened at the resource centre, which will be accessible to community members at a small fee, to help generate revenue to fund the venture.