The Botanic Gardens celebrates 250 years of existence during the year 2015. This momentous Anniversary is being commemorated with yearlong activities, and the first of these was a parade and re-enactment of the handing over of the breadfruit plants to the Governor. The exercise took place on Friday 23rd January.
The parade began near the shore front on Lower Bay Street outside the Agriculture Input Warehouse. Its route was along the Bay Street Bridge, turning onto Linley Street, proceeding towards Tyrrel Street, then onto the Leeward Highway, ending at the Botanical Gardens. The parade began at about 10:15 a.m. and when the handing over ceremony was concluded it was just shortly before noon.
Adults as well as students joined the activity wearing clothing reflecting the dress of the day so as to play the roles of people present on the island at the time and who would have been involved in the activity. The program highlighted this poignant period in our history and serves to give a renewed appreciation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in Western history.
The breadfruit plant was brought to St. Vincent from Tahiti by Captain Bligh on January 1793, on the HMS Providence. The Botanical Gardens, already a significant player regionally and globally as a plant propagation and conservation garden, increased its reputation. In the re-enactment of the handing over of the breadfruit plant the role of the British Governor of the island was very capably handled by the present Minister of Culture, Hon. Cecil McKie, rising mas-man, Kingsley Collis had the responsibility of portraying Captain Bligh.
The Botanic Gardens' 250th Anniversary Committee will hold other activities during the year and the public is invited to continue to support.
