Carnival-like atmosphere at Mayor Thompson’s Christmas treat
Published:Thursday | December 21, 2017 | 12:00 AMGareth Davis Sr
Port Antonio, Portland:
It was a colourful and carnival-like atmosphere at the Portland Municipal Corporation self-styled amphitheatre and park, as hundreds of children, accompanied by their parents, turned out for a special Christmas treat put on by mayor of Port Antonio, Paul Thompson.
The annual treat, which had its inception in the late 1970s, buzzed with excitement n Wednesday, as a mini sound system thrilled the near-capacity crowd with genre of music including disco, reggae, soul, rock steady, and dance hall from the 1970s, '80s, and the '90s.
The place was also brought alive by the grand entry of the so-called 'Grandfather of Christmas', Santa Claus, who greeted the children, while entertaining them with a variety of dancing moves and styles, which for the most part was hilarious and comical.
Thompson, who was obviously pleased with the turnout, spoke about the importance of showing love and kindness to others, especially during the festive season, which, according to him, is a time for giving and reaching out to the less fortunate.
"This is my second Christmas treat since assuming the role of chairman of the Portland Municipal Corporation in November 2016," he commented.
JOYOUS MOMENT
Thompson added: "It is always a joy to see the happy faces of children, whose parents might be experiencing financial challenges and are unable to purchase toys for them this time around. Along with team members of this municipal corporation, we thank God for the opportunity to host this treat, which provides us with an opportunity to show kindness to the less fortunate."
The children received varied toys, including Barbie dolls, cars, superheroes, aeroplanes, helicopters, tennis rackets and balls, football, boat, and mask. The children also received scrumptious meals and refreshment throughout the day.