Family and friends of legendary political activist Pauulu Kamarakafego have welcomed a proposal to name Southlands after him if it becomes a national park.

A highly-placed Government source confirmed to The Royal Gazette yesterday that the idea was being seriously considered, as first reported on ZBM television news on Wednesday.

Dr. Kamarakafego, also known as Roosevelt Browne, was a civil rights campaigner, United Nations development officer, ecological engineer and PLP MP. He died in 2007, aged 74.

Premier Ewart Brown has previously said of him: "We consider him a very, very important and iconic figure in Bermuda's political and social history."

The source said the Southlands idea was in keeping with the PLP's 1998 election pledge to celebrate national figures by naming buildings, streets and other public areas after them.

Dr. Kamarakafego's sister Irene Maybury heard about the proposal on the news. "I'm happy for it but I was surprised," she said. "He would like something like that. He was that type of man."

She said it would be a fitting tribute as the third anniversary of her brother's death is on April 3.

Life skills instructor Lucinda Worrell-Stowe, a close friend of Dr. Kamarakafego, said: "I don't think they could have picked a better person.

"I hope that that's what they are actually going to do.

"I don't think Bermuda even begins to realise what Dr. Browne has done for this Country and done for people in general.

"If it's not the park then it should be some park, some place, so this community can never forget the contribution that Dr. Browne made to Bermuda."

Teacher and poet Vejay Steede was mentored by Dr. Kamarakafego. He said: "I think it's a fantastic idea. Pauulu was a man who was very instrumental in getting universal suffrage in Bermuda and I think someone of that calibre needs to be recognised nationally."

He added: "He was a scientist. He went around the world helping people to build sustainable development projects with the UN. A national park just makes sense. I would be very much in favour of that and it would be a fitting tribute."

The owners of Southlands are negotiating a land swap with Government which would see them exchange their private 37-acre estate in Warwick for 80 acres of public land at Morgan's Point.

The deal looked as though it might falter last month after a war of words broke out between the two sides but is understood to now be back on track.

Southlands Ltd. presented plans for a luxury tourist resort to Cabinet and PLP politicians last week and a meeting of technical officers of the Cabinet subcommittee on hotel development was due to take place this week.

Government will only be able to fulfil its pledge to turn Southlands into a national park once the land exchange has been legally completed and approved by Parliament.

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