OCHO RIOS:

Plans are in high gear for this year's staging of the St. Ann Heritage Festival and Home-coming celebrations.

The upcoming events, being planned to coincide with the 119th anniversary of the birth of National Hero, Marcus Garvey which was celebrated yesterday, will entail a homecoming banquet at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort tomorrow, and a trade fair, exposition and food festival on Saturday, August 26 at the Seville Heritage Park in St. Ann's Bay.

Chairman of the Homecoming Committee, Herbert Murdock, told JIS News that the banquet would be held under the distinguished patronage of their Excellencies Professor Kenneth and Mrs. Rheima Hall, and the scheduled keynote speaker is human rights activist and United Nations Children's Fund Goodwill Ambassador, Harry Belafonte.

Special presentations

The trade fair and food festival will showcase the best of Jamaican and other cuisine, and offer entertainment for both children and adults.

"Special presentations will be made on topics such as 'Family Values and Heritage Awareness' and 'The Role of Banks in Family Planning'," Mr. Murdock informed.

He told JIS News that "business entities across the parish have been invited to participate in our trade fair, which will promote and highlight the best that the garden parish and its neighbours have to offer to local and foreign markets".

Proceeds from the events will support the establishment of the Marcus Mosiah Garvey Resource Centre in the soon-to-be renovated and expanded St. Ann Parish Library.

The St. Ann Homecoming Committee is dedicated to the celebration and promotion of the heritage of St. Ann in all its various aspects.