Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall (left) and wife, Mrs. Rhemia Hall, in discussion with author, Senator Anthony Johnson, at the the launch of 'City of Kingston Souvenir Book, 2nd Edition', held at the Bank of Jamaica auditorium, on Tuesday, May 8. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Sacha Walters, Staff Reporter

The launch of the second edition of the City of Kingston Souvenir Book, 1802-2006, Facing the Twenty-First Century, last Tuesday, was a success.

Senator Anthony Johnson, author, took the audience through a brief background of how he organised the information for the book, at the Bank of Jamaica auditorium.

It highlights the pros of the city in part one of the book, with seven chapters dedicated to the 'Growth of the City', and it also discusses the limitations in part two, where four chapters are dedicated to the 'Challenges of Kingston'.

The book shows art from the city, personalities, culture, music and sports, to name a few.

The Oberlin High School Choir, Vauxhall School Choir and Kingston Drummers performed and represented their parish well.

Economic growth

The Most Honourable Professor Kenneth Hall, Governor-General, was the guest speaker.

Professor Verene Shepherd of University of the West Indies History Department spoke of the importance of the city to economic growth, and mentioned the untapped potential of the city as a tourist spot.

With the country recently marking the bicentenary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, Professor Shepherd said it was important to set up a monument by the harbour, which would represent the spot where slaves disembarked.

She said the Jamaica National Heritage Trust has raised $10 million to use towards erecting such a monument, and Mayor Desmond Mckenzie assured her that there was a recent meeting to discuss a similar idea, and he would be happy to partner with them on the issue.

Guests included: wife of the Governor-General, The Most Honourable Mrs. Rheima Hall, Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe, Opposition Senator Prudence Kidd-Deans, United States Ambassador Brenda LaGrange Johnson, Howard Johnson, Pamela Johnson, and Bishop Carmen Stewart.