THE THEFT of an imposing two-centuries-old brass lectern from the Parish Church, Falmouth, is not only an act of sacrilege but another step on the road of criminal activity with which our society is burdened.
Talk has been circulating for some time now of the growing illegal trade in antiquities around the world. The fashion for antiques is also supported by television shows which portray trading at extraordinary levels for once-discarded objects, unwittingly inciting the greedy. The Internet also has many sites devoted to antiquity and lists many collectors willing to pay high prices for art objects, no questions asked. In the process, the culture of many countries is being pillaged and their history lost.
Here in Jamaica, the treasures of old churches, great houses and other historic sites are being looked at as possible tourist attractions. In the case of Falmouth, with the drive on to position the town as a visitor attraction capitalising on its Georgian heritage, historic institutions like the Parish Church and its contents will be valuable assets. It would be tragic, however, if robbers took this as an opportunity to plunder and loot and, by their action, diminish the heritage of our nation, already besieged by far too much of that which is demeaning and unworthy.
According to reports, at least two small community museums - in Lucea, Hanover and Seaford Town, St. Elizabeth - have suffered at the hands of what we would like to call 'heritage thieves' who have made off with treasured objects over recent months. There is suspicion that the stolen objects might well have left our shores already. In the case of the Falmouth lectern, it is being feared that it could be scheduled for overseas disposal, which is why it is important for everyone to be on the lookout to assist in its recovery.
Our police are not trained as antiquities specialists. They do as best they can when such robberies are reported but if the criminal trend continues, there may have to be yet another area of specialist training for the Jamaica Constabulary Force. We have persons here who could share their particular knowledge in educating the police to the seriousness of 'heritage crime' and we already have links with Interpol and other global intelligence agencies, which take seriously illegal trading in cultural objects.
Canada and Britain are among countries which have formulated codes of ethics to control this ugly trade. UNESCO, the UN organisation for education, science and culture, has drafted a Code of Ethics for Dealers in Cultural Property and the issue will be debated at the forthcoming General Conference. As Jamaica will be represented, we would hope that our voice will be heard. Small though we be, we have occasion to be concerned. Cultural criminality knows no boundaries.
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