Jamaica Observes Commonwealth Day March 10

The country’s Parliament will join other Commonwealth Parliaments around the world on March 10, to observe Commonwealth Day, under the theme: ‘The Environment, Our Future’.
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), activities will be undertaken to commemorate the day and to raise awareness of the Commonwealth and the CPA among young persons. One of the events will take place at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston, beginning at 10:00 a.m., and will see students from three schools highlighting the theme by focusing on three components of the environment, including air, land and sea. Each school will do a 15-minute presentation on the component for which they are selected, in the form of drama, speech, dance or a combination of all.
Specifically, students of Tivoli Gardens Comprehensive High will perform a dance depicting the theme and students from Aloysius Primary will recite a poem titled, ‘Jamaica a fi wi environment’. Students and teachers from schools across the Corporate Area, as well as St. Ann, St. Catherine and Portland are invited to attend.
A Member of Parliament will give a brief overview of the CPA, with special emphasis on the theme. Students will be selected to read Her Majesty’s Commonwealth Day message, and the Prime Minister’s Message. In addition, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Leader of the Opposition, Leader of the House of Representatives, and the Minister of Health and Environment will bring greetings.
Other activities include the mounting of an exhibition on the Commonwealth and the CPA at the Knutsford Court on March 10, after which it will be relocated to the Parliament’s Chamber Lobby, where Parliamentarians and members of the public will be able to view it during the week.
Jamaica has been the beneficiary of the CPA’s branch award, which encourages participation in Commonwealth Day, for a number of years. Commonwealth Day is celebrated on the second Monday in March each year and aims to promote understanding on global issues, international co-operation and the work of the Commonwealth to improve the lives of its 1.8 billion citizens.