Falmouth’s Mayor Says Independence Dream Must Not Die

His Worship the Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Collin Gager, says that Jamaicans should resolve to build on the achievements of the past, as “the dream and hope that inspired us at Independence must never die.”
“We are grateful for our achievements. This is all a measure of our capacity for greatness, a testimony to the creativity that is within us and an indication of our enormous potential as a people,” he said.
“We must never be unmindful of the enormous challenges ahead, but we must always remember that the land is still green and the sun continues to shine,” he noted.
He was addressing the Trelawny Independence Thanksgiving Church Service, at the William Knibb Memorial Baptist Church, Falmouth, on Sunday (August 2).
He observed that in the 47 years since the country gained Independence, despite the challenges, much has been achieved.
“We have come a far way, and with the strength and vigour of our people, the proud descendants of slaves, we will successfully complete the journey,” he said.

Mayor of Falmouth, Councilor Collin Gager (right) and Member of Parliament for Northern Trelawny, Dr. Patrick Harris (left), along with Councillors and members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Trelawny Fire Department, participate in the Trelawny Parish Council’s Independence Thanksgiving Church Service at the William Knibb Memorial Baptist Church in Falmouth, Sunday (August 2).

The Mayor said that Trelawny was a small, and often ignored parish but, in many ways, has caused the larger parishes to sit up and take notice.
He took note of Trelawny’s culture, its sportsmen and women, entrepreneurs, artisans, tradesmen and farmers, who have helped to earn it local and international recognition. These ambassador included Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Michael Frater, he said.
“So, as we celebrate Independence, let us recommit ourselves to the fulfillment of our creator. Let us be the sheep of the pasture, let us stretch forth a helping hand towards the poor among us . that’s a fulfillment of what Independence should be,” Mayor Gager said.
Pastor of the church, Rev. Devere Nugent, said that the celebration of Emancipation and Independence should be kept in a central place in the hearts and minds of Jamaicans, and the experiences of their forefathers must never be forgotten.
“Even though there were some harsh challenges, today we look back at those times and we thank God for the men and women who struggled to make our society what it is today,” Rev. Nugent said.
The church service was one of a series of activities planned by the Trelawny Parish Council, and supporting agencies, in celebration of Jamaica’s Independence.