Make historic building a presidential library

I was really elated to read in the T&T Guardian that something is finally going to be done about restoring the wonderful historic building on Knox Street, the old Trinidad Public Library, that has been in a state of dilapidation for quite a while. While the article did not identify exactly what it will be used for, I had visions of it being restored and put to good public use and I immediately envisaged what the Americans and First World nations refer to as “presidential library.” The reason that I went in that direction is because over Christmas last, my eldest brother, a very senior citizen who had not been to Trinidad for many years, returned to attend the funeral of a relative. He took the opportunity to walk throughout the city and almost died when he saw the condition of the library, where he was privileged as a young person to attend lectures and debates. But more than that, he wanted to see the Eric Williams Memorial Collection and Museum which someone had told him about. 

 

It turns out that the museum is located at the library of the UWI where he could not get in because it was closed for the holidays. On making further inquiries, he was advised that he could not just walk in to the university and ask to see it because it is not open to the general public and that he had to make an appointment. Well, he  never got the opportunity to visit. He explained to my nieces and nephews about the importance of “presidential” libraries to a country and its his- tory. So there I was, elated that the building could be restored and made into a presidential library so that the general public and tourists alike could visit a museum and do research on our prime ministers and presidents; that schoolchildren from all over our country could visit at any time and learn about the founding fathers and mothers of our nation; that schoolchildren and others from Tobago can arrive on the ferry and be in walking distance; the tourist ships can berth in Port-of-Spain and the presidential library, sitting across from the historic Woodford Square and  Red House, within walking distance, would be a major tourist site.

 

I was really elated at the pros-pects for the creation of a presidential library that would be located at the restored Trinidad Public Library building. Then the confusion began when I read in the T&T Guardian that Citizens for Conservation said it is their project and not that of the National Trust. So I am making a public appeal to the mayor of Port-of-Spain or Nalis or whoever owns the building to intervene, restore the building and create a presidential library. Madam Prime Minister, I think it is appropriate that you should do so in this year of our 50th anniversary of independence. This would be an excellent national and political move. Get the papers of all former prime ministers and presidents, get the Eric Williams museum out of UWI and begin to keep your own for when you demit office.