COUNCIL TO REVIEW ITS MONUMENTS
STREET names and monuments, including a monument to Sir Thomas Picton, are to be re-evaluated across Carmarthenshire.
County councillors voted in favour of a motion which makes clear the authority’s abhorrence of racism, prejudice and discrimination - past and present.
The motion pledges to work with black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) comunities to identify and eradicate racism in Carmarthenshire.
A cross-party task and finish group will be set up to take the work forward, and efforts made to include colonialism, exploitation, discrimination and racism in Wales’s new school curriculum.
“Action is the only remedy to indifference,” said Cllr Cefin Campbell, who spoke in support for what was an amended motion at a full council meeting.
He said people from BAME communities in the UK were more likely to be stopped and searched, arrested, and die from Covid-19 and less likely to be employed and get social housing.
“When it comes to race, we should all be colour blind,” he said.
The amendment to Cllr Liam Bowen’s motion was put forward by Cllr Fozia Akhtar, who said it was important the council identified the needs of BAME communities.
Cllr Mair Stephens said the council had a good track record in recruiting from BAME communities, and added that victims of modern slavery should not be forgotten in the work to come.
Cllr Alan Speake said he felt everyone in Carmarthenshire should have a say because council taxpayers had contributed to the upkeep of memorials and monuments for years. He said he supported the motion and had played rugby and cricket with ethnic minority players, but added: “I think this is a bit rushing through. I would rather see all of us consulted.”
Cllr Bowen said the aim of the motion was not to forget history but to learn about all of it, good and bad.
“Injustice based on racism exists in Wales, and here in Carmarthenshire,” he said.
Cllr Bowen said his own actions in this matter had not always been correct.
“My hope is that we all learn from our mistakes,” he said.
The approved motion, which will also celebrate the contribution of BAME communities during Black History Month in October, will now go before the council’s executive board.
The Carmarthenshire branch of Unison has called for the Picton memorial to be removed.