The Amistad finally steers into calmer seas
Published November 28. 2015 12:01AM
The Day
Thanks to a judge’s ruling last week, the stormy seas of mismanagement and negligent government oversight that nearly foundered the schooner Amistad finally have calmed, and the once-wayward ship now seems on course to fulfill a noble mission.
This newspaper is pleased that, as expected, Superior Court Judge Antonio Robaina has issued an order that formally dissolves Amistad America and ends state receivership of the vessel.
At the same time we remain troubled that the sad saga had been allowed to unfold, and that so many parties were victimized.
Still unanswered: How did Amistad America run up such huge bills while continuing to collect nearly $9 million in state funds; why were small businesses, individuals and organizations from the region denied more than $2 million in payments for services and supplies owed to them at the same time Connecticut got some of its money back; how come there hasn’t been a criminal investigation into the matter?
Even though these questions linger, it remains good news that Amistad has been transferred to a new nonprofit group, Discovering Amistad, which will oversee and operate the ship with a “Connecticut-based, education-centric mission” according to state Office of Policy and Management Secretary Ben Barnes and Attorney General George Jepsen.
We echo the comments by Mr. Barnes: “The Amistad is worth saving, not just because the state of Connecticut has made significant investments over the years; the ship is a vital historical and cultural asset, with a powerful, moving and relevant story to tell. To that end, the receivership process has largely been a success.”
The schooner, built at Mystic Seaport with state funds and launched with much fanfare, is a replica of the ship of the same name that its African captives commandeered off the coast of Cuba in 1839. After the original Amistad was seized off Long Island and brought to New London, the captives were taken to New Haven, where they were held for trial and eventually set free.
The episode marked an important milestone in this country’s commitment to liberty, and The Amistad’s tale, popularized in an award-winning movie, is now taught in history classes throughout the land.
But Amistad America, initially charged with overseeing the vessel’s operations and fulfilling its mission as an educational institution, repeatedly ran adrift and eventually grounded.
In August 2014 the state finally took the helm, and we applaud the work of receiver Katharine Sachs and her advisory panel for crafting the agreement approved by Judge Robaina.
Last September, the state Bond Commission approved a $620,000 grant allowing Discovering Amistad to buy and repair the ship. The state also plans to provide the nonprofit organization with $342,000 in operating funds in each of the next two years.
We support this expenditure with the understanding there must be complete accountability and oversight so that authorities aren't faced with similar difficulties in the future.
Amistad can be a valuable teaching tool and even a tourist attraction, but the state must not allow this replica vessel to be hijacked, as it had been in the past.
We look forward to seeing it sail again.
Comments