Pomp and pageantry will be the order of the day when the annual Independence Day Parade and ‘We Barbados’ Procession is held on Saturday.
The parade will see over 900 people, representing armed and unarmed detachments, assembling at Kensington Oval from 7:20 a.m.
Governor General Dame Sandra Mason will inspect the detachments, which will include the Mounted Troop of the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF), the Barbados Defence Force (BDF), the Barbados Cadet Corps, and the Bands of the BDF and RBPF.
Several uniformed organisations will also be represented, among them the Barbados Prison Service, the Barbados Red Cross Society, the Barbados Landship Association and the Barbados Youth Advance Corps.
This year’s parade, which will be under the direction of Commanding Officer of the Barbados Regiment, Lt Colonel Carlos Lovell, will feature a display by the Barbados Defence Force in honour of its 40th anniversary.
The ceremony will also include an address by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley; the investiture of the recipients of National Honours and Awards; and the presentation of leadership badges to the Head Boys and Head Girls from the primary and secondary schools in Barbados.
At the end of the ceremony, the troops will march from Kensington Oval through Bridgetown. A salute will be accorded to Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley in front of the main entrance of Parliament, following which the armed detachments will continue across the Charles Duncan O’Neal Bridge; proceed along Probyn Street; turn right on to Lower Bay Street and then on to Fairchild Street for dismissal.
The unarmed detachments will also pay compliments to the Prime Minister and then turn right on to Charles Duncan O’Neal Bridge for dismissal in the area of the Barbados Fire Service headquarters.
Approximately 1 500 persons are expected to participate in this year’s ‘We Barbados’ procession through Bridgetown.
The armed and unarmed detachments will join a procession which will include the head boys and girls of primary and secondary schools, who would have received leadership badges during the parade. There will be music trucks along with a number of floats depicting the theme: United against NCDs.
Before the procession begins, members of the public will be treated to entertainment from school bands featuring students of Combermere School, Holy Innocents Primary, Milton Lynch Primary, St Leonard’s Boys’ Secondary School, The Alleyne School and Daryll Jordan Secondary.
Two stages will be set up in Bridgetown – opposite Chefette in Upper Broad Street and opposite CS Pharmacy in Lower Broad Street – and performances will run from 8:30 to 11.00 a.m. (BGIS)
