THE EDITOR, Sir:
SOME QUESTIONS must be asked about Rev. Devon Dick's statement that Hector Wynter should be credited with the acquisition of Liberty Hall merely because he was the chairman of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust sometime in the 1980s. In his article of January 13 he claims that Wynter must have realised the significance of its historical value; but I question his assumption in light of the circumstances under which it was acquired.
First of all, was Liberty Hall acquired while Mr. Wynter was the JNHT's chairman or not? In his article, Rev. Dick said that Mr. Wynter was chairman between the years 1982-86. But Liberty Hall was acquired in 1987, the centenary year of Garvey's birth.
Secondly, Rev. Dick's argument suggests that the acquisition came about as a result of careful policy decision. But I question this assumption. Liberty Hall was put up for auction by the Trustee in Bankruptcy for non-payment of taxes - see advertisement of Sunday Gleaner January 18, 1987.
The following day, I, as president of the African Studies Association of the West Indies sent out a letter of protest. A release was sent to the press and radio as well as to the relevant Minister protesting this occurrence and urging its acquisition. I know that it was carried on RJR as one of its lead stories.
That would have been January 20. By February 26, at a press conference to announce celebration plans for the Garvey Centenary (see Daily Gleaner February 27, 1987), it was announced that Liberty Hall would be acquired.
In conversations I had with Mr. Wynter, what clearly stands out in my mind is that Bustamante was the National Hero he was most concerned with and not Marcus Garvey.
I am, etc.,
BEVERLY HAMILTON
PO Box 368
Kingston 10
