President Mahama concludes Jamaica visit with Seville Heritage Park tour

President John Dramani Mahama concluded his four-day state visit to Jamaica last Tuesday with a visit to Seville Heritage Park in St. Ann, where he toured the preserved Ghanaian Village Houses. The visit formed part of the President's official engagements and highlighted the historical and cultural connections between Ghana and Jamaica. It also served to reaffirm Ghana's commitment to strengthening relations with Caribbean nations in the areas of culture, trade, investment, and diplomacy.

At the heritage park, President Mahama laid a wreath in honour of Africans transported during the transatlantic slave trade. A Great House Reception was held in his honour, attended by Jamaican government officials, cultural leaders, diplomats, and members of the Ghanaian delegation. The President also toured the Great House, constructed in 1745 by the grandson of Captain Richard Hemmings. Captain Hemmings participated in the English conquest of Jamaica in 1655 and established the Seville Estate on approximately 2,500 acres. The Great House was originally a fortified two-storey residence without a veranda, overlooking sugar plantations, sugar works, the village of enslaved Africans, and the Caribbean coastline. Defensive guns were positioned around the building. Following hurricane damage after 1745, the upper floor was removed, and a veranda was added.