The historic Golden Square Freedom Park was officially opened Saturday afternoon.
In a colourful, cultural, celebratory two-hour ceremony, which included tributes, the two-acre Freedom Park was officially opened by Prime Minister Mia Mottley.
Mottley was joined by President-Elect, Governor General Dame Sandra Mason, Chief Justice Sir Patterson Cheltenham, Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley, and Members of Cabinet, among other dignitaries.
Prime Minister Mottley, who reiterated the significance of Barbados moving towards a republic, called on Barbadians to remember Payne’s call to forever educate and agitate, but not to violate.
Mottley stressed that the loss of life or the loss of liberty are prices too dear to pay “especially if we can work together as one people”.
She asked Barbadians to respect and honour not just the physical aspect of the park, but also the monumental contribution made by those who gave up their life and their liberty.
“As we look around, let us enjoy the beauty. As we move, let us bring our children here to learn, and as we build let us remember that this too will be a living piece of park and space for those working, living, reflecting, playing in Bridgetown,” Mottley said.
Founder of the Clement Payne Movement and CARICOM Ambassador, David Commissiong, said the opening of the Freedom Park is a great day for him personally and for all the members and supporters of the Movement, who laboured diligently over a period of 33 years.
Comissiong said: “Brothers and sisters on the 21st of July 1937, the Right Excellent Clement Payne delivered one of his most important public speeches right here in Golden Square. As per usual, police spies were in the crowd and they made a written record of Payne’s words.
“And here is how Clement Payne ended that historic speech 84 years ago. And I quote, ‘I am going to make this spot the mecca of organisation on this island. Bad things have been said about Golden Square, but I have found my services better appreciated here than elsewhere in this island.’”
The Pan Africanist challenged Barbadians to play a role in helping to realize Payne’s vision, by embracing “this magnificent two-acre Golden Square Freedom Park and making it the mecca of civic engagement, public education, participatory citizenship, conscious artistic expression and progressive and even revolutionary consciousness in the new republic of Barbados”.
Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for The City, Lt Colonel Jeffrey Bostic expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Mottley for keeping her promise to transform the sacred space, which holds much national significance.
Bostic appealed to Barbadians to treasure the re-engineered Freedom Park and noted that there can be no doubt regarding the importance of the space in the country’s long journey to becoming a republic and the role played by Payne, a National Hero, whose bust graced the park for several years.
“Whilst the journey has been long, and the road has been winding, I am sure that we all agree it was worth the time and the effort,” Bostic said. (AH)
