- Winston Sill/Freelance photographer
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Grace, Kennedy and Company limited, Douglas Orane, left, welcomes Governor-General, Sir Howard Cooke, centre, and Lady Cooke to the opening of the company's mini-exhibition to mark the 200th anniversary of the city of Kingston. The exhibition was officially opened by Sir Howard and will run for the next three months.
TO MARK the 200th anniversary of the founding of Kingston - Jamaica's capital - corporate giant Grace, Kennedy and Company Limited has mounted a series of mini-exhibitions in the lobby of its head office on Harbour Street in downtown Kingston.
The first in the series was officially opened last Wednesday by the Governor-General, Sir Howard Cooke, under the theme "Kingston Our capital City, Our Harbour".
According to chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Douglas Orane, "The exhibition seeks to portray the historical highlights of the development of the city in its 200-year lifespan during which it has withstood numerous disasters, as well as economic, social and political vicissitudes."
The aim is that persons who pass through the company's offices will get some insight into those events which have shaped the city's growth and development.
Comprising a mix of artefacts, story boards and photographs, the display spans the period 1692 - 1981. As any Jamaican should know, it was in 1692 that Kingston became a town, following the massive earthquake which destroyed two-thirds of Port Royal harbour and coastline.
And 1891 was a significant year in Kingston the Great Exhibition of 1891 was staged here. It was in that year also that three most notable hotels were established the Queen's Hotel, Myrtle Bank Hotel, and Constant Spring Hotel all built to provide accommodation during the Great Exhibition.
In between these two milestones, a story of development is recorded. Among the highlights are the granting of parish status in 1713, city status in 1802, and named as island's capital in 1872. Under the Spanish, Jamaica's capital was Spanish Town between 1534-1872.
According to the organisers, the current exhibition will run through to June, when it will be replaced by others (at three-month intervals) highlighting the periods 1891-1925, 1925-1944, 1945-1962, and 1962 to present.
And Mr. Orane explained that the company undertook to stage the exhibition in this anniversary year as "it is the indomitable spirit of the city that Grace, Kennedy salutes, and which invokes our continuing commitment. This commitment is symbolised by the fact that the nerve centre of our company's operation is on Harbour Street, and has been so for 81 years."
Sir Howard congratulated Grace, Kennedy for its sponsorship, and exhorted other companies to follow its example: "It is my wish that other companies in other parishes will undertake similar projects in their areas and help people to get a better understanding of who we are as a people."
Students and principals from inner-city schools, members of the downtown business community, and members of the Jamaica Historical Society attended the opening.
The exhibition should prove useful to students, especially those doing CXC history.
Appointments can be made to view the show which is open to the public otherwise from from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m, Mondays to Fridays.
