All Jamaicans Have a Role to Play in Nation Building – Custos of Manchester

Custos of Manchester, Dr. Gilbert Allen, has urged Jamaicans to remember their individual roles, in the task of nation building.
He said even as the country celebrates the memory of those who have fought for the various forms of freedom now enjoyed, everyone should be mindful of the mandate to carry on where they left off.
Dr. Allen was speaking at the Heroes Day service, held in Mandeville, Manchester on Monday, October 20.
“Our national heroes dedicated their lives to the quest for equality and freedom. The legacy they have left us is a proud one, but the task of nation building is never complete. The evil forces of greed, corruption and indiscipline are wreaking havoc in our land. We have inherited a culture of determination and self-actualization, with loyalty and dedication we can overcome, we can survive, we can build,” he asserted.
Dr. Allen said that even as Jamaicans pay homage to national heroes, recognition must be made of those persons, who quietly, in the execution of their daily tasks, continue to add to the country’s proud heritage, and who in their own way, contribute to nation building.
“Heroes Day is the centre piece of Heritage Week, and has become the day on which we recognize and celebrate our contemporaries who are making outstanding contributions to the sustainability of our country as a place of which we can all be proud. Today we celebrate the legend of our seven national heroes, and we acknowledge and present certifications to seven persons, our contemporaries, who are worthy of our praise and our accolades,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Central Manchester, Peter Bunting, urged all Jamaicans to seek to be inspired by the achievements of our national heroes, and become everyday heroes, in the fight against the scourge of evil.
“We all must support public order, refuse to support criminals, be everyday heroes, as we seek to deal with the challenges and potential crises, which confront us everyday,” he pleaded.
Among those honoured for their role as nation builders in the areas of Education, Folk Forms and Health, respectively were: the Rev. Reuben Grey, former Regional Director for the Ministry of Education’s Region Five; Annie Barrett, teacher; and Dr. Derrick Ledford, medical doctor.