Taharqa Aleem disclosed that Bunce Island has an historical significance to African American and Africans which is very key. And they have been looking for further knowledge in history and this Island is very important because there are lot of pieces they could not tie together as Africans in America “until we actually understand the nature of the trade and what really happened in our history will not be completed. There are lots of people in US that have post-traumatic stresses they had to be treated for, and such tour is one way they can heal themselves. And so if we have a place like this we can use as part of the healing which is necessary.”
About proposal of the Island, Aleem said as the government through the Monument and Relics Commission is planning to establish an Arts Centre, they are proposing to help during the opening of the arts centre by raising funds.
“Our concept is to make this Island a number one tourism visiting site for people in the diaspora: Afro Brazilians and people of the African descent to come over and visit just like it is done in Ghana, and this place has more significance to us than Ghana when it comes to the history of slave trade,” he noted.
The Minister of Tourism, Khadija O. Sesay disclosed that as her first visit, “I am also on a fact finding visit and I also brought investors who are here to invest in the Island and taking their time all the way from the United States of American decided to come and look for Bunce Island and see the slave castle.”
About the preservation of the Island, she said “everything in the Island needs to be preserved as this place has been declared as protected area. There has been lot of destruction, but the Ministry together with the Commission is starting all over to preserve and maintain the site”.
Questioned about the visitors, the Acting Minister said “they came and saw and they have promised that they will go and raise money to help preserve this Island because they regard this place as their home.”