Jamaicans in the US celebrate 59th Independence

SCORES OF JAMAICANS joined the Embassy of Jamaica in Washington DC, by teleconference, on Sunday, August 1, to commemorate the 183 anniversary of the freedom of enslaved Africans in the British Commonwealth, as well as the 59th anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence.

In response to the Government’s call to ‘Come Mek We Celebrate Online,’ the virtual service attracted Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica from across the United States. The service was moderated by professor of the Howard University School of Divinity, Rev Dr Burchell Melbourne, as well as Rev Sylvia McDonald Kaufman and Canon Kortright Davis.

In delivering the sermon, senior pastor of Webster Memorial United Church, Rev Astor Carlyle, speaking under the theme ‘Jamaica at 59: Revival and Renewal with Resilience,’ said the indomitable Jamaican spirit which allows us to transform stumbling blocks into steppingstones must be affirmed, for through our people the weight of our little nation impacts the world significantly.”

However, Rev Carlyle cautioned his audience that “moral sensibility is the consciousness that God is the Rock out of which Jamaica has been hewn, and to abandon the ground and foundation of our nationhood, is to not only to betray our national essence and identity, but it is to build on shifting sand a nation that cannot stand when the winds and waters of compromise blow and flow.

“As we celebrate the journey of 59 years, may we heed the prophet’s call to work for the continued Revival and Renewal of Jamaica land we love by walking in the ancient paths of moral sensibility and moral sensitivity. May we not like the people of Jeremiah’s day respond by saying “we will not!”

In a video message to the diaspora, Governor General Sir Patrick Allen lauded members, stating that you have “kept our flag flying high and have made an invaluable contribution to the land of your birth as well as your adopted countries”.

“Although we are divided by sea, we remain inextricably connected to each other through our shared values, vision and the desire we have to work together to build a resilient nation of which we can all be proud,” the governor general said.

In her address, Ambassador Audrey Marks said: “The 59th anniversary of Independence of our great nation, Jamaica, is an opportune time for us to come together to celebrate this milestone with the usual sense of triumph and jubilation.”

She added: “While fifty-nine years in the life of any nation is relatively short, we have much to celebrate and even more to reflect on, as we contemplate our progress over the past years. Jamaica, with its strong democratic principles and global influence in so many spheres within the multilateral fora, has long been “punching admirably above its weight”.

She observed that “the Government of Jamaica has begun to mobilise investment locally which will help us to ‘build back better’. There are positive signs that our economy is steadily rebounding with our tourism industry set to welcome 1.7 million visitors by the end of 2021. Despite the challenges, Jamaica has also gone a long way in bridging the digital divide in the education sector owing to the significant support of you, the members of the diaspora and friends of Jamaica.”