China continues assistance to Cabrits Heritage and Ecology Centre (CHEC)

Ambassador Wang Zonglai and Dr. Lennox Honychurch with the Dominica and Chinese flags flying at Fort Shirley
Ambassador Wang Zonglai and Dr. Lennox Honychurch with the Dominica and Chinese flags flying at Fort Shirley

The project to develop Fort Shirley at the Cabrits National Park into a centre for heritage and ecological education, received a further boost this week, when the Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China, Wang Zonglai, presented a donation of EC $25,000 for the second phase of the completion of the Fort Shirley Museum.

The museum is being established in the old gun powder magazine at the fort. Each of the three chambers will feature a different aspect of Dominica’s heritage. The first room will display artifacts dealing with nature and indigenous Amerindian heritage, the second will cover the general history of Dominica and the Portsmouth area including its African heritage and the third will highlight the military aspects of the Cabrits Garrison.

The government of the Peoples Republic of China has already financed the first phase of the project, which was the restoration of the building. This included the rebuilding of walls, relaying of floors, repainting and securing of doors and windows. This grant for the second phase, is to cover the building of display cases to exhibit hundreds of artifacts related to the history of the area.

When ambassador Wang visited Fort Shirley this week to view the development of the project and to formally make the donation, he expressed the wish of his government to encourage Dominica to educate its citizens and visitors about their own heritage. Museums and historic sites play an important part in public and tourist education in China and he was pleased that his country could assist Dominica in this way.

In thanking Ambassador for the Chinese government’s contribution, curator of the project, Dr. Lennox Honychurch, pointed out that Fort Shirley had become an important site for school visits and the museum project would be a great bonus as the site was in fact an educational centre open to all.

As a token of thanks, he presented the ambassador with a copy of his recent book on the Cabrits and Prince Rupert’s Bay.

The restoration of the Powder Magazine at Fort Shirley was funded by China in phase one of the museum project
The restoration of the Powder Magazine at Fort Shirley was funded by China in phase one of the museum project

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10 Comments

  1. bougla
    November 28, 2013

    Is dominican history compulsory in the schools. It should be!

  2. 4CAR
    November 27, 2013

    We should not be flying China’s Flag.

    • Africo
      November 27, 2013

      It is what is called diplomacy. An official visits a place and in civilized situations you put up the flag as an act of courtesy. Go and tell Fort Young Hotel to take down their Chinese flag too. Tchupppps.

  3. Warren Buffet
    November 27, 2013

    Colonial masters

  4. Doc. Love
    November 26, 2013

    Can the Government of Dominica finance any project without the Chinese or Venezuelans involvement. Don’t be surprised, the restoration of the building will involve Chinese workers like the President’s Palace.

    • Wow
      November 27, 2013

      It is better to keep your mouth shut (or fingers off the computer keyboard)than to expose yourself as an idiot!!!

    • 4CAR
      November 27, 2013

      That’s how the “Ministers” of Government get their Big Cuts from “under the table.” We old people call that Corruption to the core. Rotten Apples.

    • Francisco Telemaque
      November 27, 2013

      You know, lots of people who writes on DNO believes that I am an idiot!

      I read an comment from someone who writes under the fictitious anonymous, in response to my submission to the Venezuelans suggesting that Agriculture should remain paramount in Dominica; what I wrote on the subject is actually scientific fact, nevertheless, the one who is an uneducated idiot concluded I do not know what I am talking about.

      We find people everyday as soon as they get a chance to use a compute; be it in an Internet cafe, or at home all they do is write crap without thinking of what they are saying. I agree that we need to do more for ourselves; however, that does not mean we should refuse help from any foreign nation Chines or what have you!

      That is a very good project, and will become another tourist attraction, at least it will be another place added to the itinerary; (that is the route of a journey, or tour of the island). I am not easily impressed; however, I appreciate the renovations, of this area. Born in Dominica, and live all of these years, I never knew that such place existed in Dominica.

      That is part of our nations history, and wherever the money or resources came from to facilitate the renovations, one should not care! I would also like to see the old Swing Brig over the Hutton Garden River, leading to the Carib Reservation restored also; I do not know how come Athie, and his conservation crew never thought of conserving such places, yet at one time they told the people of Roseau they should continue to occupy all of the little 8 X 8 and !6 X 12 huts, and dilapidated shacks, all they had to do is have them painted.

      Governments of foreign countries, usually donate to the less fortunate, and underdeveloped nations, of the world.

      France donated the Statute of Liberty to the great United States, more than a hundred years ago!

      The worst kind of idiots are the ones who does not know that they are an idiot.

      Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

      • Francisco Telemaque
        November 27, 2013

        Just a little bit more: I lived on the island of Antigua, many moons ago when I was just a kid, I was taken to visit Nelson’s Duck Yard; I did not know the significant’s of that visit, however, I later discovered it played a significant role in the economy of Antigua.

        They maintained the three and four hundred years old buildings, there were shops from which souvenirs of the island was bought; hundreds of Yachts ducked in the harbor, seasonal employment kept people employed until the tourist season was over, and beyond.

        My question now is what can we do to Rodney’s Rock in our waters of Dominica, we remember a Navy Freight, shelled it all night long believing it to be an enemy ship. At day break, they discovered, they shoot at Rodney’s Rock all night.

        That also should also be developed as an tourist attraction, since there must be cannon balls indentations, of foremen from the cannon balls still visible!

        Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

  5. November 26, 2013

    Good work Mr: Honychurch keep up the good work.

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