Governor-Gen. of Canada weeps at Elmina Castle

Elmina, Nov. 29, GNA-- The visiting Governor- General of Canada, Ms. Michaelle Jean, who is of African descent, on Thursday shed tears and remained solemn, as she was taken on a tour of the Elmina Castle.

Speaking to newsmen after the tour, Ms. Jean, who laid a wreath at the gate of "no return" on behalf of the people of Canada and Africans in the Diaspora said: "it was special for me to be back".

"I pray for those who went through the gate of no return and those who did not make it to the far away lands in the Americas", she said.

The Governor-General said the time had come for all to "confront the pain of slavery and move together not as individual countries but for the African continent", adding, "I'm optimistic that we all belong to one community on earth and should therefore not discriminate against each other".

The tragic history of slavery, she said, was an important testimony that should be related to us as human beings and that the painful episode of slavery should teach us a lesson and be preserved and built on.

According to her, "memories is our duty" and that there was time for tears, time for silence and time to celebrate and officiate the meaning of freedom and respect for human dignity.

She observed that even though the slave trade had been abolished, a look at the faces of the children gathered around, indicated that "slavery was still a reality", and there was the need for people to pay attention to it.

"If we do not pay attention to slavery, it is a betrayal, others are still living in slavery, we cannot not deny or say it is not happening", she declared.

For his part, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations, said because of the emotions felt by people of African descent who visit the castles, it was imperative to develop them into "pilgrim sites" and be "treated with respect as holy grounds, just like Mecca", and not just be regarded as tourist attractions.

He hinted that when the restoration of the Elmina castle was completed, it would become a centre-piece and expressed regret that the over 40 forts and castles in the country have been allowed to deteriorate.

He said currently there were only 15 of such facilities in good shape and that everything would be done to save them from deterioration. He asked that Ghanaians should see people of African descent as brothers and sisters and not as "Obroni".

The Regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur, said Ms Jean's visit was to renew and strengthen the partnership between the Central Region and some municipalities in Canada.

He expressed the hope that the visit would yield more sister-city relationships in addition to the one existing between the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) district and the city of Ottawa, which, he said, has been beneficial to the KEEA district.

Earlier, the helicopter carrying the visiting Governor-General, had touched down behind the castle at 1040 hours, and in the company of Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey, was welcomed amidst cultural drumming and dancing by the Elmina Dance Ensemble, by Nana Arthur, the District Chief Executive, Mr. George Frank Asmah and some chiefs and queen mothers. Libation was offered by the chief linguist of the Edina traditional area, Nana Kweku Arhin before she was led on the tour of the castle. The Regional Co-ordinating Council presented her with a stool, and the Elmina traditional council, a Kente cloth, a bead necklace and bracelets and a small drum.