'St Thomas Sings' a huge success

The St Thomas Parish Council can boast another success with the staging of the latest concert in its series of events to mark the 150th anniversary of the Morant Bay Uprising.

The concert, dubbed 'St Thomas Sings', and held at the Seaforth Methodist Church last Sunday evening, saw performances from the award-winning National Housing Trust (NHT) Chorale, along with gospel performer Carey Sayles, as well as local talent Demarco Bryan and Davian Burke, and the Centurion Band.

Patrons were well entertained at the event, praising the cultural selections of the NHT Chorale, and dancing during the high-energy praise and worship set by Sayles.

"It was a very enjoyable event, and a perfect Father's Day gift," remarked Owen Dunn, a patron at the event. "It was good music and very entertaining and professionally done."

The concert is one of several activities being organised by the 150th Anniversary Committee, with events planned across the parish to commemorate the sacrifice of Paul Bogle and the martyrs in the uprising of 1865. The committee has taken the theme '150 Years After: Protest to Prosperity - The Journey Continues', and sees members from government agencies and community organisations among its ranks.

FAMILY-ORIENTED EVENT

Lorian Peart-Roberts, an executive member of the committee, explained that the events were family-oriented and of a cultural bent.

"We deliberately planned events that were wholesome and family-oriented. We wanted it to be cultural based, and to reflect the history and the spirit of St Thomas, and also to be a fitting tribute to Paul Bogle and the martyrs," Peart-Roberts said. "We have already had a church service at the Yallahs Baptist Church, and the Jamaica Defense Force and Jamaica Constabulary Force bands have already held separate concerts at the Rudolph Elder Park earlier this year."

She also went on to say that the committee was working to get other musical and cultural talents into the parish for other events.

"We are in dialogue with a steel band, as well as the University Singers. There is also a kumina workshop that will be held at the end of July, and we have many other events that are coming together," Peart-Roberts said.

Secretary/manager of the St Thomas Parish Council, Errol Green, was quick to point out that local talent would also be on display during the series of events planned for the rest of the year, with a gospel concert planned for the Bath Botanical Gardens and a black-tie dinner in honour of 150 notable sons and daughters of St Thomas in the works.

The St Thomas Parish Council has also been lauded for its efforts to renovate and clean up notable sites across the parish, and representatives from the Seaforth Methodist Church were awarded plaques of appreciation for renovation done at the church in anticipation of the concert.