REMEMBER! CELEBRATE! BELIEVE! - My Island Jamaica

FIRSTCONTINUED FROM 9Brownies, Boys’ Brigade, policeand military personnel, exservicemen,the church groups,etc, were all present.Again, the royal couple, SirAlexander Bustamante, NormanManley and others were on thescene. The programme openedwith prayer and song, then somespeeches from the dignitaries.The anthem of England wassung for the final time with thelowering of the Union Jack.The moment everyone waswaiting for arrived. When theJamaican flag was hoisted,cheers erupted from the crowdas citizens went in a frenzy,waving handkerchiefs, paperand just about anything with thenew national colours. Ournational anthem was sung as wesaw for the first time in ourhistory the outstanding black,green and gold flag flying high.Then the lights were turned offand a massive fireworks displaybegan. This was very beautifulas the colours lit up the airbefore falling to the ground.That was something toremember!On Monday, August 6, whichwas a public holiday, manyactivities took place in severalcommunities. Independencegifts and flags were handed outleft, right and centre. Flagraisingceremonies and prayerstook place during the night andstreet dances were set upspontaneously in allcommunities.To end it all, on Saturday,August 11, a gigantic floatparade was staged. It started inan open lot across from thestadium, then moved off at 3p.m. On parade were more than70 floats, including a unit of theFire Brigade, members of theyouth organisations, militaryand police costume groups,Jonkonnu, ex-servicemen,Rastafari groups, schoolchildren,Red Cross, St John Ambulance.Of course, the streets were linedwith hundreds of peoplestanding closer to the sidewalksand directed by the police.As the parade took to thestreets, the people jumped forjoy, the beautiful floats andcostume groups created a greatpicture. The marching bands ofthe youth organisations and alsothose of the military and policebrought great joy to our hearts.The march, a very long oneindeed, ended in downtownKingston at about 7 o’clock thatnight.‘Strength’ and ‘Baba’ in a balancing act at Ocho Rios onWednesday August 5, 1962, during the celebrations to markIndependence.Jamaican and visiting Canadian cadets marching in the floatparade along a street in Morant Bay, on their way to LyssonsRecreation Centre where a parish fête was held by St ThomasIndpendence Celebrations Committee.Smiling farewellHRH Princess Margaret at the door of a royal aircraft biddingfarewell after her week’s stay in Jamaica for the Independencecelebrations.CONTRIBUTED PHOTOSIndependence float parade 1962. Thelma Davis (now Hatton)who lives in London is the girl seated to the extreme left on the‘throne’ – she used to work at Hanna’s. Contributed by Grace(McGhie) Brown.10 JAMAICA CELEBRATES | TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2009