National Heritage workshop

Famous for starting most events at least 15 minutes past the appointed hour, the Trinidad and Tobago National Commission for UNESCO and The Trinidad and Tobago National Trust completely reversed the natural, Trinid-adian, order of things by starting a half-hour before 9 am — the time stated on invitations.

By the time Newsday arrived at the Chancellor Hotel on Tuesday (at 9 am on the dot) the feature speaker, Minister Joan Yuille-Williams was winding up her address. We had time to photograph the top table in situ, listen to Len Boogsie Sharpe — representing culture, presumably — play a final piece on pan, and hear Susan Shurland of UNESCO give the vote of thanks.

All was not lost, however, since, having recovered from the shock of the early start, we were presented with a copy of the Minister’s speech to read, mark, learn, inwardly digest — and pr?cis for Newsday readers.

The minister stated that Trinidad became party to the World Heritage Convention in February 2005. Although the National Trust has begun an ‘inventories of heritage’, the two-day workshop would play an important part in fulfilling this country’s obligations under the Convention.

She said the preservation of National Heritage is an integral part of Government’s vision of Developed Country Status by 2020.

The portfolio for the National Trust includes the management and protection of monuments and sites, the appointment of an Advisory Body on archaeology to preserve sites of interest, a Committee to oversee the National Underwater Cultural Heritage (historic wrecks), and a special council to preserve Amerindian Culture.

The minister felt the arts to be critical to the preservation of heritage, and in this regard, her ministry gave support to organisations representative of cultural diversity in TT.

She noted that part of the work of the Workshop is to compile a proposed list of heritage sites from which it is hoped one or more may be included in the World Heritage List.