Bruce Golding, MP - Leader of the Opposition
THE ADVANCEMENT of every nation is punctuated by the exceptional efforts and achievements of some of its sons and daughters who, at the tide in the affairs of men, took it at its flood. Out nation owes much to those who, in the face of fierce adversity and even death, stepped forward and changed the course of history.
Once again, we commemorate the work of our National Heroes, Sam Sharpe, Nanny of the Maroons, Paul Bogle, George William Gordon, Marcus Garvey, Alexander Bustamante and Norman Manley. Theirs represent lives of sacrifice, struggle and selfless leadership which have shaped our evolution as a people and have made us proud inheritors of a rich legacy. It is a legacy that we have a duty to protect and uphold. Every abuse or denial of freedom that we permit is an insult to the memory of Sam Sharpe and Nanny of the Maroons. Everything we do or fail to do that keeps our people in poverty is a repudiation of the sacrifices made by Paul Bogle. Our failure to put the people first through effective representation strikes a blow at everything that George William Gordon stood for. The fact that we are yet to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery leaves Marcus Garvey's mission unfulfilled. Our failure to use the political power that they won for us more than 60 years ago to put economic power in the lives of our people is a betrayal of the legacy of Alexander Bustamante and Norman Manley.
As we celebrate their lives in the observance of yet another National Heritage Week, let us recognise the deficit we must make up in advancing their work and bringing real progress to all of the Jamaican people. And let us also honour the thousands of others, living and gone before, who have not been declared National Heroes but who through their passionate service and tireless efforts in many different fields must be counted among the nation's heroes.
We must give thanks for them and we must recommit ourselves to building a proud, peaceful and prosperous nation as the true, lasting tribute to their memory.
- Bruce Golding, MP - Leader of the Opposition
