Jimmy Cliff to be honoured at Florida Independence Ball

Internationally acclaimed singer Jimmy Cliff will be honoured at the Independence Ball in Florida, which is being held to mark the 60th anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence.

The ball, to be held on August 6, is one of several events planned for the Sunshine State to mark the occasion of Jamaica’s Diamond Jubilee.

Cliff, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010, is known for such hits as Many Rivers to Cross, You Can Get it if You Really Want, Reggae Night, among others. He starred in the iconic reggae movie The Harder They Come, singing the eponymous theme song. The Harder They Come, which celebrates 50 years this year, popularised reggae music throughout the world.

Cliff has taken reggae music to several corners of the globe and has done fusion music, mixing reggae with the music of Brazil.

A motorcade will also be held on Sunday, August 7. It is sponsored by the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council, in association with the Consulate of Jamaica in Miami, and will start in Lauderdale Lakes at the Gardens at 4:30 p.m.

The ball, which highlights activities around Jamaica 60, will be held at the Marriott Fort Lauderdale Hotel and Convention Center and is sponsored by the Jamaica United Relief Association, in conjunction with the Consulate General of Jamaica, Miami. The Inner Circle Band will provide entertainment.

An Independence church service will be held on Sunday, July 31, at the Faith Center in Sunrise, Florida, to kick off the week-long activities.

In Atlanta, Georgia, Opposition Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Lisa Hanna will be the guest speaker at the Atlanta Jamaica Association (AJA) Independence Ball and Scholarship event.

The event will be held at the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway Hotel in Atlanta starting 6 p.m.

Some 15 scholarships will be awarded to students in Jamaica and the Atlanta area from proceeds raised at the black-tie event. Last year, some 19 scholarships were awarded. The AJA recently launched its official diamond jubilee celebrations in recognition of its 45 years of service to the community in metro Atlanta and the 60th anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence under the theme ‘Reigniting a Nation for Greatness’.

In New York, several activities to mark Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of Independence have been planned.

Two flag-raising ceremonies will take place, one in White Plains, a city some 45 miles from Manhattan, and the other at Brooklyn Borough Hall in downtown Brooklyn.

Highlight of the activities will be two Independence galas – one on August 13 and the other billed as the official gala, under the auspices of the Consulate in New York, on August 20.

On Sunday, August 7, the Independence church service will be held at the Bronx Betthany Church, starting at 4:30 p.m.

In Philadelphia, Team Jamaica Bickle Philadelphia will host an Independence ball on Saturday, August 13.

Olympian and World Championships medallist Kerron Stewart will be honoured and will be guest speaker at the event, which will be held at the Hilton Hotel on City Avenue.