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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Local
Members of the Independence Committee announce plans for the 34th
NASSAU, The Bahamas – The 34th Independence Celebrations on July 10, will pay homage to the nation’s ancestors, particularly those who were instrumental in changing the course of history.
According to chairman of the Independence Committee Celebrations, Peter Deveaux-Isaacs the theme, ‘Celebrating our Forebears’ was selected to recognise the importance of – the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Atlantic Slave Trade.
“We thought the Independence celebrations should somehow tie into that very, very significant event in our history,” Mr. Deveaux-Isaacs said during a press conference held Monday, June 25.
“Our ancestors in this regard are really the bridge between the two significant events,” he said. “We intend to recognise people, who at the turn of the last century, played a very, very important role in building a consensus, fighting for liberty, fighting for education, the right to co-exist.”
Mr. Deveaux-Isaacs was accompanied by members of the Independence Committee who shed light on the events leading to Independence Day, July 10. The cost for this year’s activities is $500,000.
The schedule of events is as follows:
Regarding the Independence theme, Director of Culture, Dr Nicolette Bethel recalled that in 1807 the British Parliament the transhipment of slaves from Africa across the Atlantic.
“For The Bahamas, that time began a period toward independence which continues today,” she said. “So what we have decided to do with our theme is to keep in our memories the fact that we are a society that was created by the institution of slavery.
“In 1973 we got our independence from Great Britain. We want to keep in people’s mind that Independence in not one day, it’s a process. We are looking back at the turn of the century to the people who made independence possible.”
Such people are R M Bailey, L W Young, C H Reeves, Stephen Dillet, Dr C R Walker, T A Toote, Sir Etienne Dupuch, Dr Cleveland Eneas, Timothy Gibson, D W Davis, Charles Rodriquez, Bert Cambridge, A F Adderley, amongst others. Grand Bahama - Independence Day celebration promises to be an exciting one!
At a press conference held to announce plans for the weekend of celebration, Senator Katherine Forbes-Smith, parliamentary secretary in the office of the Prime Minster, said that although the committee had been working with a relatively short time to plan the event, they were pleased with what they have been able to accomplish. The Senator announced that there will be a two-day celebration for Grand Bahama island, which will begin on July 8 with an ecumenical service at the Community at Heart Tabernacle of the Church of God Prophecy Church on Coral Road. On July 9, a cultural show will take place at the Independence Park at 9 p.m. with a fireworks display commencing at 12 a.m. in celebration of Independence Day, which is July 10. "I know it's been a difficult time in Grand Bahama for many of the residents but what we have tried to do is put together a very exciting event and we anticipate a great crowd in support of the 34th anniversary celebration," said Forbes-Smith. "And we really want to extend an invitation to the entire Grand Bahama community from the east of Grand Bahama to the West of Grand Bahama to participate in the events that we have planned for the 34th annual celebrations." Carnard Bethel, of the Office of The Prime Minister, noted that the cultural show is expeced to be "much bigger and better than it was in recent years. We're going to have special guest artists peforming from Nassau, K.B., and we're also going to use some local artists. We'll have a Junkanoo rush-out and fireworks and we'd like everybody to be on the park to have a celebration, get unity going in our community and mark this 34th anniversary of our independence," he said. Assistant Superintendent Clarence Reckley of the Royal Bahamas Police Force was also on hand to outline the police force's efforts in the celebrations. "The police force's role is, as usual, the same. The Police Band will be here from Saturday and they will be participating at the ecumenical service and the cultural show, and again the police guard of honour will be in full splendour during the flag raising ceremony on the 9th. And we will be there to do our part in addition to making sure everybody is safe during the celebrations," he said. Forbes-Smith noted that even though residents in the eastern and western communities of Grand Bahama will have their own celebrations planned, they were invited to take part in the island-wide celebrations. "I wanted to make sure that residents in the east and west were aware that they are part of Grand Bahama and they are a part of the 34th anniversary celebrations of independence." "What Patriotism is all about" by Sheena Butler in The Freeport News
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The nation's 34th Indepen-dence Day Celebration, being held under the theme "Tribute to our Forbears," promises to be an exciting one, according to the committee chairing this year's festivities.