On the June 25, 2011, The Garrison became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, when it was inscribed on that prestigious list as part of ‘Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison’. Accounting for about one third of the total area of the site, World Heritage status signifies that the historic value of the property transcends the national boundaries of its country and is of global significance. In other words, its loss would be a loss to human history. This leaves us with great pride but an even greater responsibility to ensure its survival.
The benefits to Barbados of such an accolade are immense, if utilised to our advantage while, at the same time, keeping to the international conservation standards which we must now apply. The competition for these designations is stiff and UNESCO are under constant pressure to ensure that all standards are maintained. So, we should never forget: