Delivered on 16th July 2026
By E.P. Chet Greene
July 19 2026 | Editorial
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, members of the diplomatic corps, honoured awardees, past and present members of the National Parks Authority Board, dedicated staff of the NPA, esteemed residents of St. Paul’s community and my fellow proud Antiguans and Barbudans—good evening, and welcome to these hallowed grounds.
More than the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Trade and as the Parliamentary Representative for St. Paul, I stand before you this evening as a son of this soil, a product of this very community who grew up in the shadow of these hills and has carried the pride of this community in my heart from boyhood to this day.
Today, we gather on sacred ground. Beneath our feet lies stones that were laid three centuries ago: stones cut by calloused hands, rolled by sheer will and placed with a precision that still leaves modern engineers in awe. Tonight, however, we are not here merely to admire old stones. We are here to celebrate a living, breathing heartbeat, the Antigua Naval Dockyard and Related Archaeological Sites, on this the 10th anniversary of its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
With deep conviction I say to us tonight, do not ever forget the full story. Behind the Georgian architecture and the grand naval designs lies the equally profound story of the free and enslaved Africans whose sweat, skill and sacrifice literally built this place. Their ingenuity shaped these walls. Their resilience carved this landscape. Their legacy is written in every brick and every beam. Today, we honour them as much as we honour the structures they built.
When the Royal Navy departed in 1899, many thought this place would simply fade into ruin. The spirit of this Dockyard refused to die. The Friends of English Harbour breathed new life into these grounds. The yachting industry of the 1960s brought fresh energy and then, in 1984, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda established the National Parks Authority; a defining moment that ensured this treasure would never again be abandoned.
Now, let me shift gears and speak from the heart of a Parliamentarian who has watched this institution grow and flourish.
None of what we celebrate tonight would have been possible without vision, without sacrifice and without leadership. Over the past forty years, this Authority has been guided by successive managers and appointed board members, men and women who served not for glory, but for the love of this place. You came from all walks of life: business leaders, historians, environmentalists, community champions and you gave your time, your wisdom and your passion freely. The National Parks Authority stands today as a regional model of heritage management because of your collective dedication.
Some of you are with us tonight. Some have transitioned to the great beyond, but their legacy lives on in every restored wall and every story told. We salute you all. We thank you and we ask that you continue to lend your wisdom as we navigate the challenges of the future.
Tonight, allow me to pay special attention to a particular person who, more than anyone else, has made the work and advancement of the NPA her life’s work and her contribution to her community and country. I speak, of course, of our Parks Commissioner, Mrs. Ann Marie Martin.
For nearly three decades, Mrs. Martin has walked these grounds not as a job, but as a calling. She has been the guardian of our history, the champion of our staff and the bridge between our past and our future. She has weathered storms, both literal and metaphorical and she has stood firm like the very walls she protects.
Ann Marie, you have built teams, you have inspired excellence, you have brought international attention to our shores and you have done it all with grace, with grit and with an unwavering love for Antigua and Barbuda.
The 8th of March Project, the restoration of Clarence House, the stabilisation of the Blockhouse; these are not just achievements. They are monuments to your leadership. On behalf of a grateful nation, we thank you. You have made this your life’s work and we are all the richer for it.
I must also extend my profound appreciation to the staff members of the National Parks Authority, every single one of you. To the groundskeepers who rise before the sun to ensure every blade of grass is perfect. To the tour guides who tell our stories with such passion that visitors leave with tears in their eyes. To the administrative team who keep the wheels turning. To the conservation officers, the archaeologists and the skilled craftsmen, many of whom have learned their trade from their fathers and grandfathers who worked these same grounds. You are the backbone of this institution. Your tireless work maintains the beauty and integrity of these Parks and you do it not for applause, but for pride. Tonight, we applaud you. Thank you.
I must also extend my profound appreciation to the staff members of the National Parks Authority, every single one of you. To the groundskeepers who rise before the sun to ensure every blade of grass is perfect. To the tour guides who tell our stories with such passion that visitors leave with tears in their eyes. To the administrative team who keep the wheels turning. To the conservation officers, the archaeologists and the skilled craftsmen, many of whom have learned their trade from their fathers and grandfathers who worked these same grounds. You are the backbone of this institution. Your tireless work maintains the beauty and integrity of these Parks and you do it not for applause, but for pride. Tonight, we applaud you. Thank you.
Now, let me speak directly and with all the passion I can muster, to the people of St. Paul’s. My people. My family. My constituents.
You are the custodians of this heritage. You are the ones whose grandparents and great-grandparents walked these paths. You are the keepers of the oral histories, the traditional knowledge and the deep connection to this land that no UNESCO plaque can ever capture.
I implore you to embrace this place as your own. Protect it not just from physical decay, but from neglect. Preserve it not just as a tourist attraction, but as a living classroom for your children and your children’s children. Celebrate it, not just today, but every day.
When we bring visitors to English Harbour, tell them the real stories. When we see the cruise ship passengers marvel at the view, let your chest swell with pride because this is your heritage. It does not belong to some distant authority or international body. It belongs to you. To us. To St. Paul and to Antigua and Barbuda.
Let me remind us that ownership also means responsibility. Report any threat to these grounds, be it environmental damage or potential development that would compromise its integrity. Educate our young ones about the significance of these walls. Ensure that the African heritage embedded in every stone is passed down as faithfully as the naval history. This is the people’s place. Let us honour it as such.
To the young people of St. Paul, I say this directly to you: this Dockyard is not just a place to take pictures for Instagram. It is a living university. It is a monument to what human hands and human minds can achieve. Let it inspire you. Let it remind you that your ancestors built wonders and let it challenge you to build wonders of your own.
As we celebrate this 10th anniversary, we must also look forward with renewed determination. The next decade will bring new challenges: climate change threatens our coastline, rising sea levels endanger our low-lying sites and the pressures of development constantly test our resolve.
Let us keep the faith in the vision that has brought us this far, in our leadership and in our community.
The National Parks Authority has already become a centre of excellence in the Caribbean but we will not rest. We will continue to invest in archaeological research, in environmental conservation, in climate adaptation strategies and in educational programmes that ensure every Antiguan and Barbudan understands the treasure that we possess.
As the Minister responsible for National Parks, I give you my word that this Government remains steadfast in its commitment. We will strengthen our partnership with UNESCO. We will enhance the visitor experience while preserving authenticity. We will continue to ensure that the stories of all who contributed to this Dockyard, free and enslaved, builder and sailor, manager and worker, are told with equal weight and respect.
This cultural landscape is the people’s place and beyond words, we are committed to ensuring its protection through sound policy and legislation, preserving it for future generations. We remain dedicated to safeguarding our rich African heritage and ensuring that young people understand, embrace and value the cultural legacy that surrounds them. The protection of spaces such as this demonstrates the importance of our heritage today and its continued significance for tomorrow.
So tonight, let us raise our glasses, figuratively and literally, to three centuries of resilience. To forty years of dedicated stewardship and to ten glorious years of UNESCO World Heritage recognition.
Let us honour the late visionary leaders who began this journey and those who continue it. Let us applaud our awardees this evening, Franklyn Braithwaite MBE, GOH, OLY, Jean Weste, Paul Deeth, Elizabeth Jordan, Althea Joseph, Karl James MBE, Jennifer Byerley Bentley, Capewell William Greene II, Louise Edwards, Marinus Smith and Leslie Robert; each of whom has poured their heart into this place.
Let us thank the NPA Board, past and present. Let us thank the Government of Antigua and Barbuda for its unwavering support and let us commit ourselves anew to the sacred trust that has been placed in our hands.
The Antigua Naval Dockyard belongs to us. It is our inheritance and our legacy.
Let us protect it. Let us preserve it. Let us celebrate it.
Happy 10th anniversary, St. Paul! Happy 10th anniversary, Antigua and Barbuda! And here is to centuries more!
Thank you, God bless you all, and God bless this beautiful land and community that we call home.