February 26, 2016 By Yeabu Bangura
Chairperson of the Monument and Relics Commission has told newsmen that lack of secretariat, staff, strategic plan to map its future activities, and dilapidated assets were some of the issues affecting the newly revived commission.
Madam Isatu Smith was speaking yesterday at the weekly government press briefing at Youyi building in Freetown. She explained that the commission was established to provide for the preservation of ancient, historical and natural monuments, relics and objects of archeological, ethnographical, historical and scientific interest.
“The reconstituted Commission is faced with several challenges like lack of secretariat, no staff, inadequate resources and budget allocation, lack of official vehicle for the Commission and Museum, limited expertise and difficulty in accessing allocated funds among others,” Madam Smith said.
According to her, successive commissions after that of Dr. M.C.F. Easmon were unable to replicate his successes because of lack of political will and support, ineffective and insufficient legislative and regulatory framework, plus inadequate institutional and human resource provisions.
She said the commission was reconstituted by President Koroma in 2014 after realising that a nation’s cultural heritage is a vital resource that could be an integral part of the broader cultural life of a nation.
Culture, according to the chairperson, could be a vehicle for economic development and for building social cohesion and stability. It can also help achieve environmental sustainability as well as foster resilience in local communities.
Madam Smith said despite the litany of challenges at the commission, it has however made some progress in institutional and human resource capacity building, legislative and human resource framework, and protection, preservation and management of cultural heritage assets.
The restoration of St. John’s Maroon Church, DeRuyter stone, St. Charles Church at Regent and demarcation of a buffer zone and construction of perimeter fence at Old Fourah Bay College building at Cline town has commenced, she said.
She said the proclamation of three new sites – Bai Bureh’s grave, Madam Yoko’s grave and Zion Methodist Church at Soja Tong in Freetown – would be added to the list of proclaimed assets of the commission.