The battle between the Grenada National Trust (GNT) and the state-operated National Insurance Scheme (NIS) on plans to demolish the Drill Yard on Young Street has reached into the International Community.
A group calling itself the International Scientific Committee on Fortifications and Military Heritage (ICOFORT) which is based in Puerto Rico has written to Tourism Minister Senator Adrian Thomas informing him that it fully supports the position taken by GNT to move the high court to grant an Interim Injunction to block NIS from demolishing the site until other avenues to preserve the historic site can be looked at to find a permanent solution to the issue.
The President Dr. Milagros Flores-Román offered to provide technical support to Grenada in the conduct of “thorough preservation and engineering assessments” to ensure that the invaluable heritage of the Drill Yard is not lost.
As a public service, THE NEW TODAY reproduces in full the letter that was sent to the Grenada government minister:-
Hon. Adrian Thomas
Minister of Tourism, Creative Economy and Culture
Ministerial Complex, Botanical Gardens
St. George’s, Grenada
July 29, 2026
Subject: Full Support to Court Granting Interim Injunction Preserving Drill Yard, Fort George Precinct, Grenada and Proposal offering Technical Assistance & Site Preservation
Dear Minister Thomas,
On behalf of the International Scientific Committee on Fortifications and Military Heritage (ICOFORT), the scientific committee of ICOMOS, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Government of Grenada for its ongoing commitment to the preservation and safeguarding of the military heritage embodied by Fort George and the related structures within its perimeter.
Your dedication serves as a vital contribution to the protection of Grenada’s rich cultural and historical legacy.
Simultaneously, we wish to express our strong support for the Grenada National Trust’s (GNT) efforts to seek a provisional injunction from the High Court aimed at halting the irreversible demolitions currently taking place at Drill Yard.
The significance of this site cannot be overstated, given its profound historical connections – from its integral relationship with Fort George and the West Indies Complex to its role in Grenada’s early judicial, penitentiary, military, and archaeological history.
It is imperative that any interventions at Drill Yard are subject to thorough preservation and engineering assessments to ensure that its invaluable heritage is not lost.
Preserving this site by pending a thorough evaluation is critical, for which we request the immediate Suspension of Demolition. We request an immediate pause on all clearing, structural modifications, or demolition orders currently active for the property to allow time for comprehensive assessment.
To support a viable long-term solution, ICOFORT formally proposes the following support and technical commitments:
1.Technical Assistance & Expert Guidance on Preservation Engineering and Site Review. Our team of ICOFORT is prepared to deploy a technical assistance team to conduct an on-site evaluation.
The objective of this visit will be to:
- Assess current structural integrity and safety conditions.
- Identify viable preservation, rehabilitation, or adaptive reuse alternatives.
- Develop a cost-effective roadmap for long-term site planning.
- Provides with expert’s guidance on heritage-review protocols, and salvage planning tailored to endangered fort precincts and historic urban landscapes.
- Comparative Case Studies. Provide relevant precedents and technical frameworks from similar historic military, prison, and urban heritage sites facing demolition threats to assist in strengthening the long-term legal and technical case in demonstration that safety concerns can by fully resolved without demolition.
- Support for Site Security & Liability Mitigation
- We fully endorse the interim measures permitted under the High Court Order – including temporary fencing, barricading, warning signage, access restrictions, and the securing of loose materials.
- We support the effort to establish a government-led interim solution that addresses immediate public safety and removes interim liability concerns from the National Insurance Board without resorting to permanent structure destruction.
- Support with dissemination of the project. We recognize the enormous effort involved in financing this initiative; therefore, we are committed to supporting it by disseminating the call to action through our networks in support of the technical, documentation, and rescue phases.
ICOFORT stands ready to collaborate with the Grenada National Trust and local stakeholders to establish a precedent for heritage protection in Grenada. Please let us know how we can best coordinate our technical contributions.
Yours sincerely,
Milagros Flores-Román, PhD.
President ICOFORT
International Scientific Committee on Fortifications and Military Heritage (ICOFORT) a scientific committee of ICOMOS International Council on Monuments and Sites
PO Box 20,000 PMB-399
Canóvanas, Puerto Rico (USA) 00729
Tel./WhatsApp +1 787 414 1916
Email: MilagrosFloresIcofort@gmail.com