Slate of Activities in St. Catherine for ‘Jamaica 50’

The St. Catherine Parish Council is planning a number of activities to mark Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of Independence. 

A  St. Catherine Jamaica 50 committee has been set up to plan and oversee the events in the parish being held from July 29 to August 6.   The committee comprises of members of civil society, the Parish Development Committee (PDC), the business sector, the police, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), and other groups.

Among the activities to be held are concerts, Emancipation vigils, and a flag-raising ceremony.

Events Director, Rupert Walters, told JIS News that there are about 40 parish activities leading up to August 6.

He said the JCDC will be arranging several village concerts and three performers will be selected from each event to participate in the main concerts on August 5 and 6 in the car park of the LOJ Shopping Centre in Spanish Town. In addition to the concerts, there will be a kiddies’ village and booths set up by the business community to showcase Jamaican art and craft and food.

“We intend to attract, over those two days, 20,000 persons. In fact, August 6 will be a big day, “he said, noting that the Independence flag-raising ceremony will take place at the venue at 10:00 a.m.

Jamaica 50 activities in St. Catherine get underway on Sunday, July 29, with the Independence Church Service at the Phillipo Baptist Church in Spanish Town.  Reverend Devon Dick will deliver the sermon, while there will be messages from

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. SirPatrick Allen; Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson-Miller, and the Mayor of Spanish Town, Councillor Norman Scott.

On Tuesday, July 31, Emancipation vigils will be held in Sligoville, Jamaica’s first free village, and at the Phillipo Baptist Church.

 On Emancipation Day, Wednesday, August 1, several cultural and sporting events will be held, including a concert at the Sligoville Multipurpose Stadium, and a cultural event dubbed: ‘Voices of Freedom’ at Emancipation Square, Spanish Town.

This will feature traditional folk forms such as dinki-mini, quadrille, kumina, maypole, a revival table, drumming and chanting by members of the Rastafarian community.

By Jodiann Reid/E. Hartman Reckord