The controversial statue of Christopher Columbus, a monument which has stood in the capital city since 1881, has now been removed. The Port-of-Spain City Corporation removed the statue from Independence Square during an overnight operation that began around 10 pm on Wednesday. According to the corporation, the timing aimed to minimise traffic disruptions. The removal was overseen by heritage architect Rudylynn DeFour-Roberts and Port-of-Spain Mayor Chinua Alleyne. It is now in the care of the National Trust and will eventually be made available to the National Museum and Art Gallery, which is currently being renovated.
The decision to remove it followed consultations with stakeholder groups, including First Peoples and cultural organisations. Yesterday morning, Eric Lewis, of the Santa Rosa First Peoples, held a smoke ceremony at the Columbus Square site to commemorate the removal of the statue. He said the statue represented more than history, calling it “a monstrosity” that carried the symbolic weight of colonial violence.
