Jamaicans in New York Celebrate Independence 51
By: , July 31, 2013The Key Point:
The Facts
- Jamaican Ambassador, Professor Stephen Vasciannie, took part in the activities
- These include the organisation’s annual Independence Awards Banquet
The Full Story
Jamaica Independence activities in the United States have moved into high gear, with nationals in Rochester, New York staging a number of events over the weekend to mark the 51st anniversary of the country’s nationhood.
Jamaican Ambassador, Professor Stephen Vasciannie, took part in the activities held from July 26 to 28, which were organised by the Rochester Jamaica Organization Inc.
These include the organisation’s annual Independence Awards Banquet held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, downtown Rochester, on July 26, where he highlighted the strides made by the country to improve the conditions for nationals.
On Saturday (July 27), Ambassador Vasciannie also took part in a Town Hall meeting at City Hall, Rochester, as a guest of the City Council President, Lovely Warren and of President of the Rochester Jamaica Organization, Dr. Joel Frater.
Among the issues discussed were: the Logistics Hub Initiative, the performance of Jamaican children in school, deportation, and methods of facilitating contributions from the Diaspora to Jamaica.
This was followed on Sunday (July 28) by a special ‘Jamaica Day’ Independence Service at the Genesee Baptist Church.
The church, which has a substantial number of Jamaican members, received a Jamaican Independence message from Ambassador Vasciannie, while Rev. Pastor Allan Grant, a Jamaican national, delivered the sermon, which was based on the National Anthem.