<strong>Jamaica</strong>celebrates■ February 11, 1962: At a quarter to one, PremierNorman Manley issued to the <strong>Jamaica</strong>n press inLondon, embargoed until midnight, London time, thestatement that <strong>Jamaica</strong>’s general election to choose itsfirst government under Independence would have beenheld Tuesday, April 10.It might well be that in receiving our Independencefrom the British and the Order in Council as the thingthat granted us liberty and freedom, we started wrong.Nobody can grant you freedom. They can recognise thefreedom you should have had from birth. Nevertheless,we followed because it was the colonial way. But we, asa colony, as of 1962, became a free people. We startfrom there and perhaps it is a real point of departurefor looking back and hoping for the future.This year is filled with hope because of certainoccurrences. There is an atmosphere of hope which hasgone right around the world. <strong>Jamaica</strong> still has thestigma of crime, underdevelopment and hopelessness.But, let us return to 1962, for it is then we assumedour own responsibility as a free nation. This is whenwe, by receiving this gift from Britain in the good oldcolonial ritual of passage, robbed ourselves of the angstthat people fighting for liberty entertain. It robbed ourfuture because the people have said: “Somebody gaveus something; we did not fight for it.”■ September 18, 1962: <strong>Jamaica</strong> is admitted as amember of the United Nations, a former financialsecretary, Egerton Richardson, is appointed as thecountry’s first permanent representative (ambassador)to the organisation.The decade of the 1960s was marked by a resurgenceof black nationalism. In the general election of 1962,Millard Johnson revived Garvey’s People’s PoliticalParty and in North America the leadership of MartinLuther King, Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichaelenergised the struggle for racial equality and civilrights. It was against this background that the <strong>Jamaica</strong>nGovernment in 1964 took the decision to bring MarcusGarvey’s body home for reinterment in NationalHeroes Park.■ October 3, 1962: The new headquarters of the<strong>Jamaica</strong> Labour Party at 7 Retirement Road, CrossRoads, St Andrew, is dedicated by Canon R.O.C. King■ For C.L.R. James, “Garvey placed Africa and peopleof African descent in the consciousness of the modernworld and in such a manner that they can never beremoved again.”Both men imbued the ordinary <strong>Jamaica</strong>n with a newsense of their possibilities in the modern world and laidthe foundations on which Adolphe Roberts, WilfredDomingo, Ken Hill, Norman Manley and AlexanderBustamante established <strong>Jamaica</strong>’s claim forIndependence between 1936 and 1962.Unfortunately, neither Garvey nor Headley wasamong those recognised or accorded a place ofprominence when the island celebrated itsindependence on August 6, 1962.– Arnold BertramWaiting inthe rainBeneath a solitaryumbrella, atMontpelier station, agroup of little Browniesand Girl Guideshuddled, awaiting thearrival of PrincessMargaret. And thoughthe rain came intorrents, and oneBrownie’s little dollygot soaked under herhankie covering. Thegirls in soddenuniforms waited on tosee the princess whohad come toparticipate in<strong>Jamaica</strong>’sIndependence,celebrations.The first Independence... as I remember itLouis A. BentContributorIWAS approaching my mid-20s and Iwas a scout leader for a Kingston SeaScout troupe. Here in Kingston,where I grew up, everyone was preparingfor the Independence celebrations.It was very exciting. The schools hadtheir part to play; so, too, did the churches,the military and the constabulary. Dramagroups, the Lodge people, even theRastafari organisations also had a role.I remember the royal visit. Her RoyalHighness Princess Margaret landed in anaircraft at the Palisadoes Airport and wasmet by Sir Alexander Bustamante, ourfirst prime minister. She was driven in aconvertible through Kingston,accompanied by her husband, LordSnowden, and they were greeted by alarge crowd that lined the streets.The beautiful decorations, especiallyaround Parade Square in downtownKingston, ignited the atmosphere. AtSouth Parade, it was spectacular! Thearches were decorated in green, gold andblack with lights around each of them.These were erected by the mayor ofKingston and his group. Several businessplaces were also decorated with flags andstreamers. Looking down King Street, thelovely drapery that was strung across theroad in green, gold and black fluttered inthe wind while the sun shone brightly.COMMONWEALTH GAMESOur first Commonwealth Games wasthen staged at the National stadium thatwas completed that year for the occasionand other events. A message was carriedaround the island relay style by membersof the Boys Brigade and was delivered toSir Alexander on opening night. He readit at the event. There was also thelighting of a torch that was erected to thesouthern section within the stadium. Thetorch burned throughout the Games.Also, a rally of youth organisations tookplace on August 4 of that year. Again,Princess Royal and her husband, met by SirAlexander, the chief minister, and leader ofthe Opposition, Norman WashingtonManley, attended the function. So, too, didEdna Manley and son, Michael. Not toforget Edward Seaga, then minister ofculture, and the mayor, all of whom sat inthe royal box with the royal family.The youth organisations displayedexceptional talent at the rally. There wasa fantastic display by the uniformedgroups with their marching bands. Whenall this was over, on that same night, thebig title fight took place between ourtriple champion Bunny Grant and DaveCharnley – the Commonwealthchampion from England. Large crowdsgathered to see this big bout. As scoutleader, I was asked to gather a number ofscouts to usher people to their seatswhile other leaders did likewise.We met a group of British sailors froma warship who greeted us very well, so wegot them seated.PLEASE SEE FIRST, 98 JAMAICA <strong>CELEBRATE</strong>S | TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2009
When the fight began, DaveCharnley threw a mighty left hookto Bunny’s head, but he got away.The fight, which was exciting, wenton till the ninth round, whenBunny got in some sharp jabs to theface and hooks to the body ofCharnley. It got to the point whenthe referee had to put an end to thefight. Bunny Grant was victorious,giving <strong>Jamaica</strong>ns great joy.Early in the morning of Sunday,August 5, another great event tookplace in the National Stadium.There was the hoisting of the<strong>Jamaica</strong>n flag. An extremely largecrowd gathered to see thisspectacular display. A mass choirgathered around the flagpole, allthe members wore their <strong>Jamaica</strong>ncostumes of green, gold and black,the Scouts, Guides, Cadets, CubPLEASE SEE FIRST, 10The People’s National Party and National Workers’ Unionmarchers are seen beginning their Labour Day march throughKingston. Here, they are going along East Queen Street. Atcentre, Mr Norman Manley, leader of the party, is standing in anopen car with arms folded.Lillas Kenten, St Thomas Independence Beauty Queen,handing to Councillor Doris Burke, vice-chairman of the StThomas Parish Council, a cup won by Bath Fountain for thirdposition in the float competition organised by the localIndependence Celebrations Committee. The competing floatsparaded from Church Corner, Morant Bay, to LyssonsRecreation Centre, where a parish fête was held and where thepresentation took place. Behind Kenten is Mr Bertram St J.Hamilton, administrative secretary of the Central IndependenceCelebrations Committee, who formally opened the fête.At the party thrown bythe staff of theIndependenceCelebrations Committeeat the home of Mr & MrsB. St J. Hamilton, MissPearline Kelly (left)presents a bouquet toMrs Hamilton. MrHamilton was theadministrative secretaryto the committee andwas earlier presentedwith a gift by the staff.The chief justice, the Hon Sir Colin MacGregor, is accompanied by Supt Don Powell, as heinspects a guard-of-honour drawn up by the police in front of the Supreme Court building, at theopening of <strong>Jamaica</strong>’s new High Court. Behind Sir Colin is Supt Basil Robinson.The Scotiabank Cupbeing presented toMr & Mrs C.S. Blakeby Mr E.G. Bird, asstmanager, the Bankof Nova Scotia, KingStreet, Kingston,donors of the cup.The cup was won byMr Blake’sReeveswood at theTurf Club’sIndependence Dayrace meeting atCaymanas Park onAugust 6.The executive staff of the Sheraton’s international division wasmarshalled in <strong>Jamaica</strong> to cope with the mammoth task of opening theSheraton-Kingston and the staging of official Independencecelebrations. Those who took part in this inaugural crash programmeincluded (left to right) Messrs Rudolph Walterspiel, John Kapioltas,Jean Doumecq, Mario Valenti, Robert Freeman, Joseph Gaudioso,Henry Ruselack and Alan Terrill.JAMAICA <strong>CELEBRATE</strong>S | TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 20099
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