The government has embarked on a comprehensive operation to salvage and restore documents and artefacts damaged in last week’s fire at the National Archives, according to the minister responsible for culture.Senator Dr Shantal Munro-Knight, the minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Culture, conducted a tour on Monday of a new secure location where the salvage process is underway. Speaking to reporters afterwards, she emphasised the collaborative effort between the government and private sector to rescue as much material as possible.“From day one, as soon as this happened, we had companies reaching out to help us,” Senator Munro-Knight said. “The private sector has really stepped up in this effort and we’re appreciative that they have been able to do so. We need to be able to preserve this material as much as possible, then it can be treated.”The minister highlighted the public’s response to the incident, noting that it reflected a growing interest in national heritage. “From everything that we have been doing in the Division of Culture, I think we understood that there are plenty of Barbadians who are knowledgeable [and] who are interested in learning more about their history,” she said.
