The construction of a shrine at Fort George in remembrance of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and other Revolutionary leaders who perished on October 19, 1983, due to internal strife amongst various factions of the Revolutionary Government, has been announced by Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.
After the revolt ended and the island returned to democracy, the fort—which had been dubbed Fort Rupert at that time to honor Bishop’s father—was renamed Fort George.
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The fort is now being restored as part of a tourist initiative.
In his remarks at the ceremony, the prime minister stated, “We can assure you that when the restoration work is completed, your administration will do what is right to ensure that the shrine that we need to have there to mark our martyrs who lost their lives on that tragic day will be honored.”
“We are fully aware that for the last 40 years, you can go to what was then Fort Rupert and see almost no sign, no acknowledgment of the tragedy that happens,” the prime minister said, addressing the hundreds of people who had gathered at Progress Park as well as those watching the live stream for the National Heroes Day celebrations.
The PM noted in his address, “But as we reclaim our history, as we reclaim and come to terms with our past, we will do what is right in ensuring that the necessary shrine to commemorate the tragic loss of our prime minister, members of Cabinet, and other citizens of Grenada is properly erected on that site to ensure that our children, grandchildren, and greatgran children appreciate (the) sacrifice made by our forebears.”
However, since October 1993, a plaque has been placed at the location of the military killings of Bishop and his Cabinet, along with other victims of that day. The plaque states that it was placed with the assistance of the Grenada government by the Maurice Bishop and Martyrs Foundation. In 2024, Grenada observed National Heroes Day for the second time, and although in 2023, members of the foundation worked with the government to organize the event, which typically entailed an ecumenical service at the location with wreaths being laid, the foundation did not take part in the government-organized events for 2024.
According to Terrence Marryshow, one of the foundation’s founding members, the government’s decision to relocate the October 19 event from Fort George has angered the relatives of those slain. “It’s there where the tragic events occurred, and we should always remember that” he noted.
