Paradox of Island Heritage (Now available on Amazon.com)

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SIDS bullish in World Heritage: Jamaica eyes 2013 for re-submitting nomination bid

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) continue to show their resilience in the global landscape despite their vulnerabilities. Global heritage is one area in which there is a spirited, almost aggressive posture among island states as they seek to establish a presence on the prestigious World Heritage List (WHL). Currently, SIDS account for just about three (3) percent of the 936 Sites listed. Bearing in mind that there are fifty-two (52) SIDS across the globe (captured by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in three regions – Asia and the Pacific, the Caribbean and Africa) the debates are vigorous about the 'competitive weight' of that three percent showing. 

Up to March 2012, the Caribbean region which has twenty-three (23) Island States account for eighteen (18) sites on the WHL to include Belize and Suriname. (Note, UNESCO’s Caribbean Building Capacity Programme lists twenty-one (21) WH sites in the region to include one site each in Puerto Rico, Bermuda and the Netherland Antilles). Reflecting on the numbers Caribbean SIDS are not faring badly especially when compared to the Asia-Pacific region with twenty-two Island States and six (6) World Heritage Sites. The Africa region, with only seven (7) Small Islands has five (5) sites listed. However, these are not numbers that islands should be comforted by within the context of the growing social, economic and political value of World Heritage. 

UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre is also clearly of the view that SIDS can and should do better in terms of the numbers and quality of Sites they put forward for World Heritage Listing. Several initiatives have been crafted in recent years to improve SIDS presence on the List including UNESCO’s Global Strategy and the introduction of the World Heritage Programme for Small Island Developing States. Within the framework of the latter programme the World Heritage Centre through the Japan Funds-in- Trust developed a project on ‘Capacity Building to Support the Conservation of World Heritage Sites and Enhance Sustainable Development of Local Communities in Small Island Developing States’, for the three SIDS regions.

In the Caribbean “a results-oriented” Caribbean Training Course in the Preparation of Nomination Dossiers for World Heritage took place in Kingston, Jamaica, June 5 - 15, 2012 targeting twenty (20) professionals from sixteen (16) Caribbean islands. The training course which was held at the Courtleigh Hotel in Kingston saw training specialists from Jamaica, Cuba, UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, and UNESCO, Havana, sharing with participants on a range of topics related to the World Heritage inscription process. The focus areas included “The Nomination process: Key Principles and Criteria for Inscription”; Incomplete nominations: most common issues”; “Overview of Caribbean heritage” and “Understanding Outstanding Universal Value, Authenticity and Integrity”.

The training course which is concerned with building capacities in the preparation of nomination dossiers will eventually benefit the local communities in which nominated sites are located. A sustainable development approach has been developed and is being heavily promulgated by UNESCO and its partner organizations to include the involvement of locals in World Heritage. In fact, the World Heritage Centre has made it a mandatory feature for consideration to the World Heritage List. It means that preservation, safeguarding and development initiatives will be undertaken in partnership with the man on the ground including culture bearers and heritage subjects.

 

Arguably, as the host country one could understand the reason Jamaica had no less than five professionals participating in the World Heritage Training Programme. I would wager that the country’s failed attempt in 2011 to get on to the World Heritage List, while its counterpart Barbados copped a spot with Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison would also account for the heightened interest and participation. Years ago there was also a botched attempt to inscribe the Spanish Town Historic District to the List. Jamaica currently has three Sites on the Tentative List to include the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park (BJCMNP), the Underwater City of Port Royal and Seville Heritage Park. The concentration is now on the re-submission of the BJCMNP nomination by the Jamaica Conservation Development Trust (JCDT) in February 2013 to break the disappointing record. Worthy of note, the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) which has oversight responsibility for World Heritage submissions strengthened its capacities in this critical area just over a year ago with the creation of the Heritage Preservation and Planning Unit.

BJCMNP  the socio-cultural traditions of the Maroons.

Minister of Culture, Hon. Lisa Hanna who presented the main address at the official opening of the two week training programme, is determined to make Jamaica’s elusive dream of achieving World Heritage status a reality. Only recently the Culture Minister accepted a cheque valued at $J5.5 million from the Spanish-Jamaica Foundation to refurbish the Seville Great House in St. Ann. According to a Jamaica Information Service release Minister Hanna described the donation as a “timely and welcomed” contribution, which will go a far way in positioning Seville as a major cultural, educational and tourist attraction. The release pointed to Ms. Hanna’s impassioned plea for Jamaica to give greater attention to cultural and heritage tourism, two of the industries that hold much promise for the country. Undoubtedly, there is an evident fire in Jamaica’s belly and a bullishness to grab a presence on this prestigious global list.

Seville Heritage Park in St. Ann is among the three Jamaican Sites on the Tentative List. The Tentative List is an inventory of properties each State Party intends to put forward for nomination to the World Heritage List. There are currently close to 100 Sites on Tentative Lists in SIDS across Africa, the Caribbean and Asia-Pacific.

It could be that this 50^th year of independence is fueling heightened pride amongst the widest cross section of Jamaicans and many are embracing the social and political value of Jamaica’s cultural heritage. But increasingly the economic value of cultural heritage is being viewed as the icing on the cake and there is evidence of varying stakeholders eyeing creative and sustainable linkages with the industry. Jamaica may be about two decades behind its neighbouring counterpart Cuba in developing a sustainable heritage industry, but it is not impossible for the country to create a viable space for itself within the next few years. Given the supporting policy framework including a sustained heritage education programme for the country, and a structure to support heritage economics – the business of cultural heritage -Jamaica will soon be showing a bold competitive face in World Heritage.