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Antigua celebrates black achievement, names mountain Obama |
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Wednesday, 05 August 2009 |
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 Antigua's highest mountain officially became "Mount Obama" on Tuesday
as the small Caribbean nation celebrated the American president on his
birthday and saluted him as a symbol of black achievement.
Prime
Minister Baldwin Spencer presided over the re-christening ceremony at
the base of the mountain, unveiling a stone sculpture and plaque
honoring the president as an inspiration in the twin-island nation of
Antigua and Barbuda and throughout the Caribbean.
"This great
political achievement by Barack Obama resonated with me in a way that I
felt compelled to do something symbolic and inspiring," Spencer told
the crowd of about 300, including several U.S. officials, at the base
of the mountain near the island's southern coast.
"As an
emancipated people linked to our common ancestral heritage and a
history of dehumanizing enslavement, we need to at all times celebrate
our heroes and leaders who through their actions inspire us to do great
and noble things," Spencer said.
The plaque on the rock
sculpture at the base of the mountain reads: "Mount Obama, named in
honor of the historical election on Nov. 4, 2008, of Barack Hussein
Obama, the first black president of the United States of America, as a
symbol of excellence, triumph, hope and dignity for all people."
Spencer
announced his intention to rename the mountain, previously known as
Boggy Peak, shortly after the election. The gesture reflected the U.S.
leader's widespread popularity in the country, where it is common to
see Obama bumper stickers and T-shirts.
Still, there was some
criticism on talk radio and in the local newspapers. Lester Bird,
leader of the opposition Antigua Labor Party, called the change "silly"
and said they might as well name it for Michael Jackson. But
parliament's approval was not required for the new name to take effect.
The
prime minister has also announced plans for Mount Obama to become a
national park with a museum and other amenities. The tree-covered
mountain has pineapple and mango farms at its base and rises about
1,300 feet (396 meters) along the island's southern coast. Its peak,
topped with a radio antenna, offers views of the Caribbean Sea and the
island of Montserrat and its active volcano in the distance.
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