Last week, I drove through Lucea, Hanover, and made my way to Fort Charlotte, one of Jamaica's designated National Heritage Sites.

What should have been a moment of appreciation for one of our country's most significant historical landmarks instead became a moment of disappointment and concern.

The site, though bearing the scars of the recent hurricane, appeared neglected and in desperate need of attention. Fallen vegetation, deteriorating infrastructure, and an overall sense of abandonment painted a troubling picture. While I fully appreciate that natural disasters stretch national resources and force governments to prioritise urgent humanitarian needs, I could not help but wonder: How long can we afford to neglect the very places that tell the story of who we are?