My fellow Jamaicans,
On each National Heroes Day, we focus on and pay tribute to the courageous men and women who shaped our nation’s destiny. The principles of unity, social justice and equality underpinned the struggles of our national heroes, and on National Heroes Day we reaffirm our commitment to those everlasting principles.
The theme of this year’s celebration is “One Love, One People, One Heritage”. It is a theme that embraces concepts which resonate deeply among the Jamaican People. It reminds us of the unifying power of love that enables us to derive strength from our diversity, and that our national creativity is the source of our greatness as a people.
Our national heroes – Marcus Garvey, Sam Sharpe, Paul Bogle, George William Gordon, Nanny of the Maroons, Norman Washington Manley, and Sir Alexander Bustamante – embodied the spirit of unity, courage and determination.
They fought against injustice, inequality and oppression, paving the way for our freedom and progress. Their sacrifices changed the course of history in a positive direction towards our emancipation and independence as a people.
The stories of their lives highlight how we came to be the extraordinary nation we are. The struggles and sacrifices they endured have gifted us our irrepressible resilience, our deep love for freedom and justice, and our uniquely powerful creativity that is celebrated worldwide. It is the source of the resilience, confidence and love that create for us the unlimited opportunities of the present. Their legacies continue to inspire us with hope in the greatness of our future.
Our brilliant achievements in culture, sport, academics, governance, and various professional pursuits, are lasting tributes to those who paved the way for us. We must continue to honour their legacy by confronting the lingering relics of colonialism, including our head of state and our final appellate court. It is time to assert our full independence, embracing the great institutions that we have helped to create, like the Caribbean Court of Justice, as we build a future rooted in our own sovereignty and guided by our common history and shared vision as a Region.
Our Heroes fought for a Jamaica where everyone can thrive, and they understood that we need to invest in and empower all our people. Social and economic justice are still elusive for many, and the negative behaviours we see in our society reflect a lack of self-belief and self-love still to be overcome.
These challenges demand that we continue the work of our Heroes, ensuring a Jamaica where social and economic justice is a reality for all. We must honour our National Heroes by rising above these challenges, ensuring that all our people enjoy access to quality education and healthcare, decent housing, and economic opportunities for personal advancement. We must honour their legacy by protecting the rights and dignity of every Jamaican.
This is why I continue to call for Robert Nesta Marley, who more than any other has made our music an inspirational force of liberation, justice and equality for all the peoples of the world, to be recognised as the National Hero he is. His greatness is embraced in all corners of the earth. He gave us the enduring power of One Love, which is drawn on by the theme of National Heroes Day 2024. Time come for his status as a Hero to be formalised here at home.
It is also why on National Heroes Day, we must honour the unrecognised heroes and heroines who make immense sacrifices for their families and communities across Jamaica every day – our civil servants, teachers, policemen and soldiers, doctors, nurses, firemen, correctional officers, and all those who serve our people and contribute to the betterment of our homeland.
“One love, one people, one heritage” – this is today’s rallying cry. Let us forge a Jamaica where every child can achieve the Jamaican dream, where every citizen can live with dignity, and where every community can prosper. Our National Heroes gave their lives for this, and would expect nothing less.
Happy National Heroes Day, Jamaica! May God bless our nation, guiding us toward unity, justice and equality for all.
Mark J. Golding, MP
Leader of the Opposition