Grand plans for Bustamante’s birthday

WESTERN BUREAU:

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24 will mark the 138th anniversary of the birth of Jamaica’s first prime minister and national hero, Sir Alexander Bustamante, and the Hanover office of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), in collaboration with the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC), plans to make it a grand affair.

In spite of those plans, residents from the Blenheim community, while welcoming the celebratory activities, are making yet another appeal for piped water.

According to parish manager for the Hanover JCDC, Shiyan Williams, a ceremony, in the form of a floral tribute to mark the occasion, will be held in the Hanover district of his birth, Blenheim, and it promises to be a grand affair, in keeping with the 60th anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence.

“We will be using this event to kick off the Hanover leg of the Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of Independence, with several other cultural and civic events slated to take place during the course of year adding to the happenings,” she stated.

She noted that several key stakeholders from across Hanover will be invited to participate in the birthday observance event, notwithstanding strict health protocols and COVID-19 prevention measures will be closely adhered to.

Chairman of the Civic and Community Development Committee within the HMC, and deputy mayor of Lucea, Councillor Andria Dehaney-Grant, who has been steering the planning meetings for the upcoming 138th birthday tribute, told The Gleaner that she and her planning committee members are looking forward to having a wonderful function come February 24, at 11 a.m., in Blenheim, in honour of Sir Alexander.

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“This year’s function will be a shortened version of what we are used to having so, therefore, we are just going to be laying some floral tributes. And although it is being held within COVID times, we are expecting to have about 40 persons there because we see the importance of celebrating the life of this great national hero, who is actually from our parish, and we appreciate the work and worth of this great man,” she stated.

She argued that it is expected that the people in Hanover can see the worth of Sir Alexander, as the work towards building the parish of Hanover continues.

Dehaney-Grant also mentioned that all the laid-down health protocols will be closely followed at the planned ceremony in Blenheim.

When The Gleaner visited Blenheim, however, while residents in the area stated that they always look forward to the annual celebration of Sir Alexander’s birthday, some said they do so with the hope that water will be sent to the district over the days leading up to the birthday celebrations.

“Dem fix de road about two years now, and in doing so the tractor buss up the pipes and dem no fix dem back,” one resident told The Gleaner.

He said that outside of periods when there is rainfall in the area, and the residents can catch rainwater, they all have to pay $500 per drum for drinking water, to persons who supply the precious commodity by trucks in the area.

“We deh suffer boss, and something have to be done soon, cause de water come as far as Dias, about two miles away, and it no pretty up ya so,” he stated.

He claimed that several appeals, even demonstrations, have been held over the years, and it all seems to be falling on deaf ears, as some people seem to take their situation for a joke.