Two Public Ceremonies To Observe 120th Anniversary Of Birth Of Bustamante

Jamaica will pay tribute to National Hero, the Right Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante, with a Floral Tribute as well as a Civic Ceremony, on Tuesday, February 24, the 120th anniversary of his birth. The events are being organized by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC).
The floral tribute has been scheduled for the National Heroes Park, beginning at 8:00 a.m., where Leader of the Opposition, Edward Seaga; Minister of Education, Youth and Culture, Maxine Henry-Wilson; Mayor of Kingston and St. Andrew, Councillor Desmond McKenzie, and Rev. Canon Weeville Gordon, Custos of Kingston, will lay flowers at the monument of the National Hero.
A civic ceremony to begin at 11:00 a.m. will see Jamaicans celebrating the National Hero’s legacy at his birthplace in Blenheim Estate, Hanover. Pearnel Charles, Vice President of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), will be representing the organization, founded by the Hero.
Hopeton Murray, Events and Commemorations Co-ordinator at the JCDC, told JIS News that the ceremony would be an entertaining one.
“The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) band will perform with a number of schools, including Sandy Bay Primary and Junior High, Cacoon All-age, Ruseas High, Green Island High and Maryland All-age. All these schools will give various tributes such as speech, music, dance and drama,” he pointed out.
Sir Alexander is best remembered as a forceful public speaker, who dealt with a variety of issues, but most outstanding was his sympathy and concern for the future of the working class population.
The JCDC is inviting members of the public to participate in both events, as the country celebrates the birth of the National Hero, who died on August 6, 1977, 15 years to the day of the attainment of Jamaica’s independence, for which he fought.