$10 million facelift for Nelson island

Plans are in the making to turn Nelson Island, one of the islets off the North Coast of Trinidad, into a historical landmark. President George Maxwell Richards visited the island yesterday along with members of the Department of History of the University of the West Indies to view the restoration works which have already begun on the island. The restoration project, which is expected to cost approximately $10 million, is the work of a group of concerned citizens, including Professor Bridget Brereton, Professor Ken Ramchand and Professor Julien Kenny all of the University, as well as Curator of the National Museum and Chairman of the National Trust, Vel Lewis. They are all members of an 18 member Cabinet appointed committee which has been charged with overseeing the works. Professor Ken Ramchand explained that the group first came up with the idea to turn the island into a historical monument in 1997. However, he noted that the project was put on a back burner until now. Referring to Nelson Island as “the gateway to Trinidad,” Professor Ramchand revealed that historically it was used as a transhipment point for Indian Immigrants, before they were taken to the estates in Trinidad to work.

In the 20th century it was used by Austrian and German Jewish refugees who were attempting to escape the tyranny of Adolf Hitler during World War II. He explained that although they were refugees, they were regarded as aliens and incarcerated on the island. “The long and short of it,” Professor Ramchand said, “is that once you start looking at it as a gateway island you realised that it was a gateway not only for the Indian Immigrants but for all the people who came to TT.” “The idea is to form a museum of the peoples of TT or as it will be called a museum of the people and the peopling of TT,” he maintained. President Richards commended the committee on their work, noting that it represented a major element in the heritage of the people of TT. “It is my wish,” he said, “that we should be able to take this project forward.” Comparing the island to Ellis Island in the US, the President noted that what he wanted to see was a restoration of sights and a conversion to what could be called a proper national heritage sight. He recommended that the Government hand over the facility to the National Trust and provide them with the adequate resources to fund the project. “We have history and we have to preserve,” he said. It is a  project worthy of all of us.”