Remove Lord Nelson's statue from Bridgetown
Remove Lord Nelson's statue from Bridgetown
Why this petition matters
The statue of Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson should be removed from Heroes Square and replaced with an appropriate symbol of freedom.
For over 200 years, his statue has stood in Bridgetown, the heart and capital of Barbados.
Why? Nelson is hailed a hero for helping the British secure victory against the French in the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar; a "fact" that can be disputed.
What CANNOT be disputed however, is that Nelson was staunchly AGAINST the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, which saw millions of black people killed and forced into servitude.
In a country where approx. 95 per cent of the population is also black, why do we continue to proudly force ourselves to relive the traumas our people have faced by having this statue stand in Heroes Square?
For tourism? Because it's a part of a UNESCO heritage site? Whatever your rationale, there is no reason for us to continue to pay homage to a man who once said: "I have ever been and shall die a firm friend to our present colonial system."
Around the world change is happening and we as a country must look at ourselves and realise the time for change here is NOW.
The time to start addressing our racist past is NOW.
The time to remove Lord Nelson's Statue from Bridgetown is NOW.
In their 2018 election manifesto, the Barbados Labour Party mentioned creating a New National Consciousness for the country:
"Transforming Barbados will require Barbadians to have a clear and renewed understanding of who we are and who we need to be. This clear sense of self is pivotal to creating the kind of lives we all want, building the type of country in which we want to live and securing the nation we will leave for future generations of Barbadians. If we are to achieve this, we must address directly the issue of national identity." (pg 61)
As such, sign this petition and let us call on the Government of Barbados to do the right thing by its people and remove Lord Nelson's Statue and its place, erect a symbol of unity which acknowledges the true work of this country's heroes.
