Organisations Encouraged to Take Part in ‘Spirit of Independence’ Contest

Public- and private-sector companies are being encouraged to participate in the Best Decorated Business/Office Competition, as part of activities for the 2016 Emancipation and Independence celebrations.

The competition, dubbed ‘Spirit of Independence’, is a major highlight of this year’s Emancipation and Independence celebrations under the theme ‘Let’s Get Together and Feel Alright’.

To participate in the competition, organisations, including Ministries, Agencies and Departments, should decorate their buildings with the national colours, company colours and the colours of the 2016 Festival Fashion theme: ‘Wear it in Gold and Stripe it Bold’.

Organisations should have their decorations displayed by Friday, July 18 to qualify for the Best Decorated Business/Office award. The display period is from July 13 to August 12, 2016.

“What we want to do is to expand the participation in the celebration, for everyone to have that feeling and spirit of Independence and to get involved, and what better way than running a competition among companies,” Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), Stephen Davidson, told JIS News.

He said that photographs of the decorations, three depicting the inside and three of the outside, must be submitted by July 29 to the JCDC’s head office via email: jcdc.festival2015@gmail.com.

“Once they submit those photographs, they will be assessed by a panel of judges to determine which one is the best in the competition,” he explained.

He said that the judges will be looking for “creativity, neatness, appeal and the use of the Independence theme and Fashion theme, gold and stripes”.

“We want persons to incorporate those two themes and use their company logos and be creative in doing what you want to do and submit the pictures to our office,” he said.

Mr. Davidson said prizes will be awarded for the Best Window Dressing, the Best Decorated Parish/Town Square and the Best Diaspora celebration. Media Houses will also be judged based on their display of the ‘Spirit of Independence’ in their music, features, guest topics and discussions during the period of Emancipation and Independence.

“We will be looking out and listening to see what kinds of content they are pushing and so the one that best displays the spirit of independence, there will be an award too,” he said.

He noted that winners of the various competitions will receive Recognition Awards at an official awards ceremony at the end of the celebrations and 10 season passes to attend Festival 2017 events.

Persons seeking further clarification on the competitions can contact Mr. Stephen Davidson at 926-5726-9 or email stephen.davidson@jcdc.gov.jm or Miss Nevileen Williamson, Administrative Assistant, at 892-6532 or email: Nevileen.williamson@jcdc.gov.jm.