Munroe-Knight replies to allegations of replacing Nelson with Mottley Loop Barbados

Black Immigrant Daily News

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with Responsibility for Culture, Senator Dr Shantal Munro-Knight is calling the social media post circulating that proposes government intends to replace the Lord Nelson statue with a likeness of former Mayor Ernest Deighton Mottley as preposterous.

In reply she said, “It is fake news, completely untrue! There is no such direction, discussion, there is no such meeting planned for Thursday. Thursday is Cabinet. I don’t normally have meetings on Thursday. Thursday is Cabinet. So it is completely untrue.”

Furthermore, she stressed that the process of selecting a new monument to replace that of Lord Nelson in National Heroes Square are now well-advanced.

Seeking to set the record straight tonight, she said, “Let me say for the record if people would recall, the division of culture actually launched in May as part of the season of emancipation a design competition for a monument commemorating family. A press release had been issued. It was in the press. It was on social media. It was a public competition for the mission of a design for a monument commemorating the family. This was in May. Last year we started the process with consultations asking people to submit what they think should replace statue of Lord Nelson and he was square, and out of that it came up that we would go to look at the monument for family.”

Dr Munroe-Knight believes that government has “followed a very transparent process of being able to do that. The final designs are in my office. It is a multi-stakeholder committee, not only of governments but people from the artistic community are making this decision in relation to the design.”

She also shared that the process is going to be completed within the week and explained that she simply awaiting a report that is to be submitted to her.

In the social media post, it was purported that after the recent consultations, the substantive Minister of Culture Hon. Mia Amor Mottley has instructed to commence the public sensitization, request for design proposals and quotations to replace the Lord Nelson statue in the City of Bridgetown with that of Ernest Deighton Mottley, Former Mayor of Bridgetown. And it went on to invite someone to a planning meeting this Thursday 6th October 2022 at the Division of Culture, Sky Mall Office.

Dr Munroe-Knight responded to the social media allegations as it also insinuated that she would be the chair of said meeting.

NewsAmericasNow.com