Ceesay, who doubles as director general of the National Center for Arts and Culture (NCAC), made the statement during an interview with journalists at the Bicentenary celebration in Janjanbureh.
He added that the British Monarchy bought the Island of Georgetown through an agent called Captain Grant during the time of Queen Victoria, and the rationale for the purchase of the island was to strategically give advantage to the British against their rival French and Portugal.
Mr Ceesay further informed journalists that during that time, the British didn’t want to spend money to clear the Island, which he said, was so much destroyed by the French. “So they decided to have another place along the River Gambia where they would be able to settle, and the Island was negotiated by the same person who had negotiated the transfer of St Kombo Island called Bathurst and now Banjul the capital city of The Gambia today.”
The NCAC director added that the first attempt to buy the Island (Georgetown) from the King of Karantata was in 1788, to be used as a penal colony to which inmates in British custody could be transferred.
According to him, this idea was condemned by the rights movements at the time, and subsequently, the British House of Commons rejected the bill based on concerns raised by the activists.”
He said the cancellation of the purchasing of Georgetown Island in 1788 led to the buying of Australia by the British Monarchy to be used as a penal colony, adding that 40 years later, the British Monarchy finally decided to buy the Island for the return of enslaved people at the tune of £140 from the King of Karnataka.
As part of celebration, Hassoum Ceesay said that the Bicentenary Commemoration will help Gambia to analyze issues of reparations and promote culture and tourism in the country.
