COMMUNITY INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS have taken on another feature this year.
Unlike the past 19 years when the blue and yellow lights lit up buildings in The City and its environs, and made various formations at roundabouts across the country, organisers in the Community Independence Secretariat took it a step further for this year’s 49th anniversary of Independence and plan to set aglow at least one historic building in every parish.
Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley made the disclosure about the expanded lighting at last Sunday’s Sagicor Life Lighting Ceremony in Independence Square, where the switch to set The City and other designated areas was turned on by 11 youngsters – one from each parish.
Another anticipated event of the month-long celebrations for Independence is the Spirit Of The Nation Show at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex on November 21 where ambassadors from each parish vie for supremacy.
Parliament Buildings aglow in The City.
Lashley praised the parish ambassadors and parish Independence committees for embracing the need to have an “all hands on deck” approach in the quest to move Barbados to a higher level.
“Each year they give selflessly to the cause of nation-building. Their resourcefulness, creativity, collective hard work, sacrifice and unconditional love for this country have given us much to celebrate; hence the chosen theme – Come Celebrate Barbados,” he said as he asked patrons to applaud their efforts.
Lashley said the show had bridged inter-generational gaps. (YB)
The buildings to be lit in the 11 parishes are:
St John – St John’s Parish Church
St Andrew – St Andrew’s Parish Church
St Lucy – St Lucy’s Parish Church
St Philip – St Philip’s Parish Church
St George – Gun Hill Signal Station
St Joseph – St Elizabeth Primary School
St James – Desmond Haynes Pavilion
St Thomas – St Thomas Post Office
St Michael – St Stephen’s Anglican Church
St Peter – St Peter’s Parish Church
Christ Church – South Point Lighthouse.
The old National Insurance Building on Fairchild Street all lit up.
