Local gov’t authorities l Trust’s mandate - CEO
thinks its operations should be decentralised to make it easier for all of the sites to be properly managed.
She said that the eight permanent members of staff, including her, are responsible for the day-to-day operations, while the others are temporary members of staff who are contracted to work in communities where sites are located. “We design work, we inspect [and] we have to do this constantly,” she said.
Persaud said that the Trust has been pushing for decentralisation given that it has a countrywide mandate although it is based in Georgetown.
She stressed that it is impossible for officers in Georgetown to adequately visit and inspect over 400 sites.
“We are appealing to the RDCs and the NDCs to work with us… put these sites into your budget because they are within your jurisdiction and try to maintain [them], at least keep the grass low, keep the animals out, if you need to build a little fence we can assist from time to time but you take the ownership because you are the primary custodian of those sites and that we hope will extend to the communities and the citizens at the end of the day,” she said.
Lack of appreciation
In addition to the preservation of historical sites, the Trust is also responsible for ensuring that the public has access to and can enjoy these locations. However, according to Persaud, it is clear that the public has no appreciation for heritage sites as they are littered and vandalised. She said that one of the biggest challenges is getting the public to show appreciation for sites. She explained that flowering plants would disappear as fast as they are planted and bridges and other enhancement works are vandalised within a short space of time.
Stressing that the enhancement works are not appreciated, Persaud said that in a bid to preserve sites and keep them clean, the Trust is now forced to install warning signs and rules, which are things that ought not to be done. “You shouldn’t have rules to use monuments [but] they are right there and yet you see people standing and sitting on these areas on the monument that you should not,” she said, before adding that this is being done even though there are benches provided at the site.
“It is up to the citizens to really take stock of what your heritage is, what it means to you and I think that in itself would hopefully change our behaviour, our thinking,” she said, while appealing to communities to assist with the maintenance of sites.
Persaud expressed concerns about littering at sites, while noting that this practice occurs even though adequate bins and gates are in place. “Yet you see people taking it upon themselves to not want to dump garbage in their complex but they go dump it at the site. 1823 is a classic because it is at the seawalls…those bins are filled as fast as they are emptied,” Persaud said.
While acknowledging that the budget provided by government is not enough, Persaud said that the Trust is cognisant of the fact that there are other sectors, such as education, agriculture and security, which are more demanding.
Anyone desirous of learning about the work of the National Trust or visiting any of the historic sites can access information from the website http://nationaltrust. gov.gy or call 223-7146 or 2255071. The Trust is located 94 Carmichael Street, Cummingsburg, and can be visited during normal working hours.