Civic Ceremony at King’s House on August 6

KINGSTON — A civic ceremony will be held on the West Lawns of King’s House on Saturday, August 6, as part of celebrations to commemorate the country’s 49th  anniversary of Independence.

Presented by Deputy Governor-General, the Hon. Steadman Fuller, CD, JP, Custos Rotulorumof Kingston, and his wife Mrs. Sonia Fuller, the traditional ceremony promises the usual pomp and pageantry, with which it has been associated over the years.

The ceremony gets underway at 9:00 a.m. with a parade by uniformed groups, and guests are asked to be seated by 8:30 a.m.

Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding; Opposition Leader, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller; Mayor of Kingston, Senator Desmond McKenzie; Chief of  Defence Staff,  Major General Antony Anderson;  Commissioner of Police, Owen Ellington; members of  the Government and the Diplomatic Corps will be in attendance.

Members of the public are invited to the ceremony, which will include Independence Day Messages to be delivered by the Deputy Governor-General, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

There will also be patriotic songs, massed bands, traditional dances and a march past by various uniformed groups.

The dress code for the National Independence Day ceremony is lounge suit (jacket and tie) for men, and for women, elegant skirt, dress or pant suit. Persons attending the ceremony may enter from West King’s House Road for parking on the West Lawn, and those who enter from the East Gate after 8:00 a.m. will be directed to park on the East Pasture Lawn.

By JUDITH HUNTER, JIS PR Officer