PORT OF SPAIN (IPS)—Residents of the wealthy suburban area of St. Clair are planning to take legal action against the government over its decision to rename a park in memory of African slaves the Basdeo Panday administration insists are buried there.

The group’s spokesperson, Rhona Ince, says residents—about 5,000 altogether made up of diplomats, doctors, lawyers and chief executive officers—are opposed to "wiping out all historical reference to the English," which is what they believe the change of name will accomplish. "If we have to demonstrate and stand up for what we want, then we will have to do that," she said.

In 1988 the residents of St. Clair went to court on the matter of the erection of buildings in the park and received a ruling in their favor.

Last year, Prime Minister Basdeo Panday announced that the King George V Park should be renamed Emancipation Park and an African village established as "sacred ground" in honor of the slaves who were buried there.

His announcement was made during celebrations marking Emancipation Week—the first week of August—and controversy began raging then and has now reached a high, even as Emancipation Week this year draws near.

"It is not appropriate that the park, where so many of our ancestors are buried, is desecrated by the name of King George V," Prime Minister Panday said last year.

"We can’t have a sacred park named after King George V," added Kafra Kambron chairperson of the Emancipation Support Committee which has been organizing the annual celebrations.

But opposition Peoples National Movement leader Patrick Manning sees an ulterior motive in government’s move to rename the park. He said the announcement by Mr. Panday is another attempt to subvert the laws of the country since the park is under the control of the Peoples National Movement-dominated Port of Spain City Corporation.

"What is this madness of changing all the names of our historic places, parks, streets and dumping unceremoniously our treasured holidays such as Whitsun and God knows what else," one citizen wrote in a local newspaper.

In 1998 the Diamondvale Boulevard was changed to the Wendy Fitz William Boulevard in honor of the Trinidadian woman who won the Miss Universe contest that year.

Also since coming to office, the Panday government has dropped "Republic Day" as a public holiday. The government has also removed Whitsun, a Roman Catholic holiday from the list of public holidays.

In addition, part of the Solomon Hochoy Highway, named after a former British governor, has been renamed the Uriah Butler Highway, in honor of a local trade unionist.

"I want to tell this government and all these African groups to leave King George V Park alone," wrote Alfred Johnson in a letter to the editor of one local newspaper.

However Anglican Priest, Clive Griffith said the change of name would be a significant development, since it would be an indication that "people of all ethnic backgrounds and beliefs" are desirous of emancipating themselves "from the elements that inhibit growth and unity."