Bermuda has a “moral responsibility” to rebuild the desecrated tombstones at Tucker’s Town or at least “tastefully” mark where they stood, according to a charity boss.

Jennifer Gray, executive director of the Bermuda National Trust, said the organisation found the removal of the tombs in 2012 and “disregard for the site prior to that event” difficult to understand.

“It is obvious that mistakes have been made and due process not followed,” she said. “The cemetery at Tucker’s Town represents a unique 19th century community that no longer exists.

“To some of the descendants of the people who lived there, the loss is still a cause of great unhappiness and therefore it is important that everything possible should be done to help them come to terms with the loss. The cemetery is one of the last physical remains of the community.”

The tombstones at Tucker’s Point marked the final resting place of an unknown number of mostly black residents who lived at Tucker’s Town from the early 19th century, around the time of Emancipation, onwards.

The community was forced out to make way for a hotel in 1920 and the custodianship and care of the cemetery has proved controversial in recent years.

Ombudsman Arlene Brock released a damning report in January on the removal of the tombs, finding maladministration within the Department of Planning for not giving the site an extra layer of protection as a historic monument.

Ms Brock said the Island’s “premier” archaeologist Dr Edward Harris oversaw the razing of the stones, which was done by Tucker’s Point at the request of cemetery custodian Marsden First United Methodist Church.

Ms Gray said though the cemetery was not publicly owned — it sits beneath the golf course at Tucker’s Point — it still merited protection and should be recognised as a historic monument, freely open to all and especially to the descendants of those buried there, like all burial grounds.

“It is our moral responsibility to preserve the memorials which still remain, whatever that now entails — which could mean rebuilding them or at the very least tastefully marking them.

“The Bermuda National Trust believes that all stakeholders need to work to ensure that this occurs. It would also be valuable to archive any documentation pertaining to the site or those buried [there] that might be held by members of the public. This is an opportunity for all of us to make a positive contribution to this important site.”

Ms Gray said the Trust was listed as a stakeholder in the Ombudsman’s report because it was the steward for 13 historic cemeteries and burial grounds, ten of which belong to the Bermuda Government.

She added: “It is probably correct that should such an action have occurred at one of our cemeteries, there would have been an outcry; the Bermuda National Trust would have jumped into action to stop any abuse.

“The Trust would have liked to have been able to make a more positive contribution to the survival of the Tucker’s Town cemetery.”

Ms Gray said giving the site added protection as a listed historic monument “might have helped” prevent the desecration of the stones, but its existing status as a Historic Protection Area should have been sufficient.

She pointed out that the HPA designation came about because of a recommendation by the Department of Planning’s heritage officer, Richard Lowry, in 2008, adding: “It would not be an HPA today were it not for his action.”

Citizens Uprooting Racism in Bermuda brought the removal of the tombstones to the attention of the public — and the Ombudsman. Ms Brock noted in her report that its efforts were supported by the Trust, the Centre for Justice, Bermuda Environmental and Sustainability Taskforce (BEST) and others.

Centre for Justice director Venous Memari said yesterday that her organisation wrote to Planning about the lack of consultation and transparency regarding the removal of the stones because “members of the public are entitled to have a say in matters which directly affect them”.

“The cemetery is of importance to many within the community, especially to Bermudians of African descent and the descendants of those buried there,” said Ms Memari. “As such, we urged the Department of Planning and the Marsden Church to engage in a full and proper consultation process with the stakeholders to ensure that what was going to be placed at the site would be reflective of the community’s wishes with regard to its restoration and protection.

“At the base of consultation with the public is the freedom of information, good governance and good administration, all of which principles are recognised by the United Nations as fundamental to the rights and dignity of human beings.”

BEST founder Stuart Hayward said: “This could have been handled better. Unfortunately people’s feelings have been bruised and it will take goodwill on the part of all the players to get on a path toward resolving the issues.”

Government must notify the Office of the Ombudsman as to the steps it will take with regards to Ms Brock’s recommendations. MPs are also expected to debate her report in Parliament later this year.

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