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Thanks to Massy, the Holetown monument has been restored to its pristine state and once again stands proudly in its place as the icon of the Holetown Festival and its community.

The Holetown monument, which was recently restored with the support of Massy United Insurance, Massy Stores, Massy Distribution and Massy corporate, was officially handed over to the Government and people of Barbados over the weekend during a special ribbon cutting ceremony which preceded the opening ceremony for the 40 ^th anniversary of the Holetown Festival.  

Like the monument, the annual festival also commemorates the landing of the first English settlers on the island; therefore, the double ceremony to mark both occasions, was quite apt.

Before symbolically handing over the monument to the Minister of Tourism and International Transport, The Honourable Richard Sealy, Country Manager for Massy, Frere Delmas noted that this Massy C.A.R.E.S. project was just part of the multi-million dollar investment which the Group was undertaking in that community.

“I hope that this $80,000 community project and the close to $50 million investment which we are spending in the redevelopment of our Massy Stores, Sunset Crest, will greatly improve the value and appreciation that visitors, residents and the wider community have for the Sunset Crest/ Holetown area,” Mr. Delmas said.

He also thanked Managing Director of Massy Distribution, Glenn Taylor for proposing the idea and being the project champion for the monument restoration.

In this earlier remarks, Mr. Taylor pointed out that the landmark was significant to our history. “…It marks the spot of the first landing of Englishmen on the island in 1625 and it also represents the first place of law, order and justice in Barbados as the first Militia was based at the site. It is steeped in history from which we cannot escape,” Mr. Taylor stated.

Minister of Housing & Lands, Denis Kellman, under whose responsibility the monument falls, thanked Massy for restoring the heritage site, noting that the responsibility to conserve and restore our nation’s heritage cannot simply be the sole duty of Government, especially where these physical manifestations of our past are so numerous.

The Holetown restoration project begun in October 2016 and was completed in December of the same year. It involved a thorough cleaning and repainting of the monument; construction of a new platform; the re-lettering on the plaques; removal of the original wall from front of the monument and the building of steps and a wheelchair ramp to allow for full accessibility. Additionally, the two original cannons were fully restored and are now mounted on beautifully handcrafted and historically accurate wooden carriages with intentionally minimalist landscaping undertaken. Massy Distribution has committed to the monthly upkeep of the site.