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Reclamation works will not affect historical 'Dungeon' ruins- Hon Vincent O. Wheatley

The upcoming reclamation works in the Pockwood Pond area of Tortola will not affect the historical Dungeon ruins site, Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) has assured. Photo: VINO
According to the Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), the scope of the reclamation project, which will occur adjacent to the Dungeon site on the seaward side, has been inspected and approved by the ministry as with any other dredging works to ensure that the surrounding areas are not adversely affected. Photo: VINO/File
According to the Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), the scope of the reclamation project, which will occur adjacent to the Dungeon site on the seaward side, has been inspected and approved by the ministry as with any other dredging works to ensure that the surrounding areas are not adversely affected. Photo: VINO/File
The scope of the project, according to Government, will occur adjacent to the Dungeon site on the seaward side, has been inspected and approved by the ministry as with any other dredging works to ensure that the surrounding areas are not adversely affected. Photo: VINO
The scope of the project, according to Government, will occur adjacent to the Dungeon site on the seaward side, has been inspected and approved by the ministry as with any other dredging works to ensure that the surrounding areas are not adversely affected. Photo: VINO
POCKWOOD POND, Tortola, VI- The upcoming reclamation works in the Pockwood Pond area of Tortola will not affect the historical Dungeon ruins site, Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) has assured.

Honourable Wheatley said the scope of the project, which will occur adjacent to the Dungeon site on the seaward side, has been inspected and approved by the ministry as with any other dredging works to ensure that the surrounding areas are not adversely affected.

“I want to clarify this matter before the rumours and misleading headlines start, that when the approved dredging project takes place in Pockwood Pond, it will not affect the current condition of the Dungeon ruins site,” Hon Wheatley stated in a Government press release on January 8, 2021.

He said his ministry has inspected and approved the project and can verify that the ruins site will not be adversely affected.

Hon Wheatley added that the ministry recognises the historical and cultural value the ruins has and the works envisaged will not affect the site negatively, as they are not in close proximity.

According to the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board (BVITB), the Dungeon, originally known as Fort Purcell, was built in 1794 and housed a garrison of soldiers responsible for protecting the islands.

15 Responses to “Reclamation works will not affect historical 'Dungeon' ruins- Hon Vincent O. Wheatley”

  • HMMM (10/01/2021, 12:11) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    GREED GONNA KILL US ALL
  • please (10/01/2021, 14:19) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    Have you ever visited the dungeon? There is a lot more to the Tourist Board story than is being told. They make it sound so innocent. The truth of the matter is the dungeon was one of the places where unbelievable cruelty was inflicted on our forefathers. There is a cell where a grown man can hardly stand upright that bears inscriptions in the wall of ships and other signs of persons in captivity attempting to record the horror of the slave trade. There is another cell that is located underground that no one that I know in modern times has ventured to visit one of the reasons being that the entrance was constructed in a way that makes it almost impossible to navigate. Its like being in a grave. Can you imagine the kind of torture someone placed in this dark hole in the ground would endure simply from the heat of being in a space with a lack of oxygen and total darkness. I am saying this to demonstrate that a place of torture and unimaginable sin is being glossed over as a place where soldiers were encamped to protect the islands. It is time to bring all these stories to light and expose all the horror and corruption that permeates Virgin Islands History. There are too many skeletons in our closet and we must come clean if we are to have healing and blessing in our land. The blood of our ancestors is still crying out for JUSTICE and we the children must stand up for equal rights and justice. There is no need to be hostile or bitter towards tourists and foreigners neither should we portray grinning idiots.
    • please (11/01/2021, 09:25) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
      I am claustrophobic and i cringe just reading this. I imagine the horror that any one of my ancestors would have gone through especially the claustrophobic ones. Geeze, God help us.
  • T (10/01/2021, 14:27) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Tell us who is the DEVELLPOR .?
  • History (10/01/2021, 17:28) Like (14) Dislike (6) Reply
    If it has to do with slavery, it should be torn down!
    • @History (12/01/2021, 09:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You have a valid viewpoint. I would suggest that your viewpoint is totally valid with regard to anything glorifying the colonial and slavery times (e.g. statues), however historical ruins like this could be used to educate current generations (including white tourists) of the horrors perpetuated against African slaves. If the Nazi concentration camps or the Khmer Rouge torture camps had been ripped down, rather than used to create educational memorials of those horrific times and actions, it would have been a missed opportunity. Why are we not seeing the government talk about using the numerous ruins to a. diversify and enhance the tourist product, and b. educate people by providing some hard fitting factual context to the traumatic history of slavery?
  • Culture (10/01/2021, 17:43) Like (0) Dislike (5) Reply
    vincent frnce roubd that place it is onr of oue natural sites savw our history please get ot gox so toutost van see
    • English? (11/01/2021, 07:04) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      @Culture maybe focus on English lessons before venturing into art and culture?
    • faith (11/01/2021, 10:10) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      You had to have typed this message on one of those first Nokia old phones.
  • Concerned (10/01/2021, 21:37) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    When was the town meeting on this project?
  • @Please (11/01/2021, 00:13) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Wow I’m speechless,
    I’ve lived VG for a couple of years but never went there I’ve visited the copper mine which always leave me with chills I’ve known of such a place this is sad especially when I think I that movie Kunta Kinta not sure I spelt it right.

    Thanks for sharing very interesting.
  • geo (11/01/2021, 10:12) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    This is in Tortola. Virgin Gorda does not have a place called Pockwood Pond
    • @geo (12/01/2021, 00:23) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      I meant I only knew of Copper Mine
      I never knew Tortola to have this .


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