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St. Thomas Residents Urged to Raise Funds to Rebuild Morant Bay Courthouse

November 10, 2008

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Lecturer at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Louis Moyston has called on citizens of St. Thomas to start a fund raising drive aimed at repairing the Morant Bay Courthouse.
“The Temple University, each year they come to St. Thomas to study and I think that many more universities will be coming. I think it is going to be very important for us, the people of St. Thomas…to begin however small, a programme to rebuild the courthouse,” he said.
The Courthouse was damaged by fire in February 2007, but fortunately the statue of National Hero Paul Bogle, which stands in front of the building was not destroyed. Meanwhile, the St. Thomas Parish Council meetings that were usually held in the building are now being held on the compound of the St. Thomas Infirmary.
Speaking at a Paul Bogle commemorative lecture held on November 6, at the Anglican Church Hall in Morant Bay, Mr. Moyston said the historic building was an important part of the St. Thomas’s history and urged the gathering of students and teachers to begin the fund raising, which he said would attract some amount of support once it got started.
The lecture was part of a series of events organised by the Paul Bogle Celebration Committee for Heritage month. Students attending the function were drawn from Seaforth High School, St. Thomas Technical High and Morant Bay Primary.
Cardivan Jackson, Principal of the Paul Bogle High School said that members of the Paul Bogle Celebrations Committee were looking at possibilities of getting the building refurbished. He noted that the cannons and sanitary conveniences behind the courthouse were in need of repairs.
“These are things that we can do while we lobby, (such as) negotiate with other persons and groups about what can be done with the courthouse. ”
Additionally, he said the Committee would continue to lobby for a cultural heritage village to be developed at Paul Bogle Square.

Last Updated: November 10, 2008

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