Former Prime Minister P.J.Patterson (seated) signs the condolence book for Louise 'Miss Lou' Bennett-Coverley while Anthony Hylton, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, looks on, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, yesterday. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer
Hundreds of Jamaicans are expected to attend a memorial service for national icon Louise Bennett-Coverley in Toronto, Canada, today.
'Miss Lou' died on July 26 in Toronto where she had lived for more than 10 years. She was 86
years old.
A Jamaican government delegation, led by Robert Pickersgill, Minister of Housing, Water, Transport and Works, will attend the memorial service to be held at the Revivaltime Tabernacle Church at 11:00 a.m.
Mr. Pickersgill is to accompany the body of Miss Lou and the remains of her husband, Eric Coverley, back to Jamaica on Saturday. Miss Lou's body is to lie in state at the National Arena on Monday and Tuesday, followed by an act of celebration and thanksgiving.
Tributes continue
She is to be given an official funeral at the Coke Methodist Church, downtown Kingston, at 2 p.m. next Wednesday.
Tributes continue to flow from overseas for Miss Lou with condolence books being opened and special events planned.
In London, a special tribute to Miss Lou will be held during the annual Independence Day service this Saturday at St. Martin in the Fields Church in Trafalgar Square, beginning at 11 a.m. A condolence book will also be opened at the Jamaican High Commission next Tuesday and Wednesday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
A condolence book was opened in Miami on Monday at the Jamaican Consulate. Ricardo Allicock, consul-general to the Southeast United States, praised Miss Lou's elevation of Jamaican culture and language through her career as a poet, playwright,
comedienne, actress and lyricist.
