Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer on Saturday. August 1 urged citizens to ensure that the horrible and dehumanising system of slavery is never allowed to happen again while encouraging closerunity between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Africa. "Therefore celebrating our Emancipation should inspire us to unite as citistens of the Caribbean to ensure that we never allow ourselves to be subjected to any form of slavery^'Spencer said in a message marking the 175th anniversary of the end of slavery.
The Caribbean branch of the Toronto-based Global Afrikan Congress (GAC) this week welcomed British Prime Minister Tony Blair's comments on the horrors of slavery, saying he has done much more for the cause than "our own" Black-led governments in the region on the issue. Maxie Fox, a spokesman for the GAC formed in Barbados in 2002, said the GAC and other Afro organizations have been trying for years to persuade regional governments to "have a discourse" on slavery, its effects on Blacks and even reparations, but only Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo, a Hindu, has seen it fit to acknowledge correspondence.
"This entire project has been embraced by the community," [Chris Purdy] said. "Although I am not from Haiti, I am a descendent of the Caribbean. And I am doing all I can to help. We are doing a good work for a good cause." Other artists who donated their time to paint the mural include Cairns "Nice" Athouris, Drew Carry, Veronica Estrada, Gino (a tattoo artist), Kyle Holbrook, Bayunga Kialeuka, [Kevin Morris] "Smurf" Morris, Addonnis Parker, Jones Pierre, Serge Toussaint and Darrin Watson. [Marie Louissaint] said Pierre, a member of the Optimist club, suggested that a statue be created to mark the anniversary, but the mural got the nod because it was "more cost and time effective."
-, ON TUESDAY August 6 Karen Stokes, deputy director in the office of Tom Corbett, governor of Pennsylvania, will make by proclamation "Jamaica Independence Week" from August 5 to August 10 each year. Jamaicans and Philadelphians will also have the opportunity to see Miss Jamaica World 2013. Gina Hargitay on Saturday August 10 at Fairmount Park, from 10 a.m to 8p.m.
Jamaicans across the United States will commemorate the island's 45th anniversary of Independence with a variety of activities. The national theme of this year's celebration is, "Unity, Peace and Justice... The Pillars of a Strong Nation." This year also marks the 169th anniversary of Jamaica's emancipation from slavery and this major milestone is also part of this year's celebrations.
[Maas Ran], the father of seven children was born in Colon, Panama. As a young man, his father wanted him to pursue a career in theology. He worked at many jobs, including journalism and sales. He loved the Big Boy stories and often used his knack for humour in his sales job. He was a self-taught actor who was the first dark-skinned Jamaican to perform in a Pantomime cast. And he is being credited as the creator of the Anancy character, with lisp and all. A diabetic, Maas Ran died in Toronto, Canada, and is buried at the National Heroe's Park.
"The LTM and NDTC relationship speaks for itself, we need each other," she said, before continuing to creatively embroider her personal experiences with the NDTC into her speech. With the dance floor of the NDTC studio as the stage, the delightful evening's programme flowed with a message from the chairman of the Rex Nettleford Foundation, Carlton Davis, a vote of thanks from NDTC Musical Director, Marjorie Whylie, and excerpts from the company's' repertoire. The dances were performed by the now generation of dancers.
Plans to celebrate Haiti's 2004 bicentennial were discussed recently by Minister Leslie Voltaire at the Center for Constitutional Rights in Manhattan NY. He said plans were underway to have a large exhibition commemorating the international slave trade and a symposium of African writers in the diaspora.
The month's activities organized include a Global Reggae Conference hosted at the University of the West Indies' Mona Campus, featuring musician Gilberto Gil, now Brazil's minister of culture, and a Reggae Film Festival hosted by Jamaica's Ministry of Information and Culture.
Commemorating the Bi-Centenary of the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, the exhibition called "Lest We Forget: The Triumph over Slavery" serves as a historic canvas portraying the horrific experience of the enslaved Africans during the 'triangular' slave trade between Europe, Africa and the U.S. during the 15th through 19th centuries. The exhibition, which opened to a packed room, included speeches by His Excellency Ambassador Philip Sealy, Permanent Representative of Trinidad & Tobago to the UN who serves as chair of the CARICOM Caucus; His Excellency, Ambassador Joe Robert Pemagbi, Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the UN, and chairman of the African Group of States; and Ambassador Nirupam Sen, Permanent Representative of India to the UN.
