A more visitor-friendly Port Royal needed

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I must admit I was tardy in doing what I told myself and others who were with me on a planned fun trip to Fort George in Port Royal to treat the wards and caregivers of the Athlone Wing of The Mona Rehab Centre on Saturday, June 30.

Reading Patria Kay Aarons' opinion in The Gleaner of July 16, "A Royal Joke" has jostled my mind and my fingers. The lack of facilities for handicapped and wheelchair visitors to the attraction was heart rending as we had to be lifting wheel chairs up and down stairs and pulling, or more dragging them, through the sand dunes.

As a country, we have committed US$7.4 million for the development of a cruise shipping pier for the town of Port Royal and cannot find the funds to develop the facility, making it more visitor-friendly for persons who are wheelchair- bound.

Another observation I made was a family (tourists) having to abandon their tour part way as they were unable to push the baby strollers through the 'sand dunes' to visit the Giddy House and the massive cannon and its turrets.

The real joy for the brethren and I was the fact that the wards and caregivers, from all account, thoroughly enjoyed themselves and really appreciated our efforts. Kudos to our guide: she did a fantastic job in recalling and relating the story of this historically and culturally rich city.

The National Heritage Trust has a gold mine in these treasure troves which needs carefully planned development that will not alter the character of the carats.

We can do it, we should do it, and we must do it.

Ainsley Edwards