Activities for Sam Sharpe Flames of Freedom Ceremony

Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister (West), Hon. Homer Davis, has announced a series of events for the upcoming Sam Sharpe Flames of Freedom ceremony, slated for Tulloch Castle in Kensington, St. James, on December 27.

These include a torch run and a celebratory concert, the State Minister pointed out.

Mr. Davis, who was speaking at the second Sam Sharpe Flames of Freedom Lecture at the Montego Bay Cultural Centre on December 14, extended an open invitation to all Montegonians to attend the free day-and-night event, being held to honour the legacy of the National Hero.

“We will have the Flames of Freedom Torch Run, which will start in Catadupa Square at 9:00 a.m. and end in Tulloch Castle up in Kensington,” the State Minister said.

“The runners will journey into Montego Bay at Sam Sharpe Square where they will be handing over the torch symbolically to the Mayor, who will, in turn, return the torch. The runners will then run to the Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College [in Granville] and from there they journey into Kensington,” he added.

The day will culminate with a celebratory concert at Kensington, commencing at 8:00 p.m.

Minister Davis promised an engaging programme featuring cultural, religious, and reggae segments.

Highlighting the inclusivity of the event, he said the concert has been a resounding success in previous years and caters to both children and adults.

“It is all in honour of Sam Sharpe. He sacrificed his life so that we could be free. Let us be more appreciative of his legacy, his life’s work and worth that has enabled us to live in brotherhood and peace,” Mr. Davis said.

He pointed out the importance of recognising Sam Sharpe’s pivotal role in the abolition of slavery.

Mr. Davis is calling on Jamaicans to rekindle a sense of love and appreciation for their history as well as deeper sense of civic pride.

“This year, we are looking at the theme ‘Sam Sharpe’s Relevance in the 21st Century’, and the reason we decided to explore this topic is because many of us are unaware of the magnitude of the challenges faced and sacrifices made by our forefathers, including the Right Excellent Samuel Sharpe,” he said.

“We are living freely in 2023, and able to travel as we like. No chains are restricting our movements [and] that was not possible 192 years ago. Everyone now has a voice and it is not because of social media, but because of the efforts of persons who lived centuries ago, Sam Sharpe being one of them,” he added.