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  by pltm
• Nov 22, 2017
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(PLTM) - As repair works continue on roads, government buildings, private businesses and homes, restoration of cultural sites is also being fervently pursued across the Territory.

Director of Culture, Luce Hodge-Smith said the government is interested in the restoration of these sites as they are just as important as the Territory's infrastructure.

Funds to restore these emblems have already been secured, as they are being treated as a key area of the post-Irma restoration process.

“Culture is life so even in the devastation we have to restore our cultural heritage. Culture continues and if we don’t restore it, we will lose it,” Hodge-Smith explained.

Most of these cultural sites also serve as museums and are a vital part of the tourism product of the BVI.

There are 8 main museums across the Territory. The ones on Tortola include the H.M. Prison Museum, the Virgin Islands Folk Museum, the Maritime Museum and the 1780 Lower Estate Sugar Works Museum. The other two main museums are the Theodolph Faulkner House and Pumato Point Museum, located on Anegada.

Hodge-Smith said the only museums which did not suffer extensive damage are the Theodolph Faulkner House and the Maritime Museum.

She shared that Virgin Islands Folk Museum on Main Street, Tortola was totally demolished by Hurricane Irma.

“Luckily, majority of the artifacts from the Folk Museum were saved and we will do our best to re-establish that museum, even if we have to share space with another museum,” Hodge-Smith said.

Individuals have been assigned to oversee the restoration works taking place at each site, to ensure that workers do not discard important materials and artifacts among hurricane debris.

Hodge-Smith added that an assessment has already been done to determine damage to cultural assets, as funding will be sought from UNESCO, which has funds available for the restoration of cultural sites around the world.

She said persons should be reminded that some of these cultural sites do have revenue-generating powers, as visitors are charged a small fee to enter some these attractions, which preserve pieces of the BVI's heritage.

"Tourism is our bread and butter and when visitors come here they want to learn about the BVI's culture so we have to restore these sites so we can have something to show," Hodge-Smith said.