Jamaica on my mind
Published: Sunday | June 21, 2009
(1)GOVERNOR GENERAL Sir Kenneth Blackburn converses with Pilot Officer Oliver Marshall after leaving the Kingston Parish Church in 1962, where the RAF Association had attended service to mark the 'Battle of Britain Week'.
(2) The march past at a special parade outside the Holy Trinity Cathedral to mark the beginning of Home and Family Week celebration. In the picture are the Immaculate Conception High School guides, with Sister Marie Emmanuel. Mr Justice Cools-Lartigue and family took the salute in 1962.
(3) OLYMPIC GUARD: Adding their own bright splash to a very colourful occasion was an Olympic Guard of Honour of 120 Jamaican women dressed in the national colours - black, green and gold skirts, black blouses and gold bandannas. They led the march past of the contingents from the 15 competing countries in 1962.
I was born in Jamaica and left in 1980 for Canada. I don't remember anything about the Independence celebrations itself or 1962 - I was born only three months before Independence Day. But, of course, I'd say it was a move absolutely for the better.
I remember the British were in control before, and it as a great thing to be independent, to become our own nation. It is unfortunate that right now the situation is not better on the island, that we have not caught up. But in the long run, I would definitely say that gaining our independence was better for us.
I'm reading about Jamaica now, trying to recapture some of my heritage. I think it's very important to be aware of independence and what happened, and to keep that going. I really support that idea.
- Rickey Thompson
I remember before we gained our Independence we went to the Olympics and had no national anthem. Now, to see that, to know we have our own anthem and to be welcomed that way. It just feel as though we have grown up. In 1962, I married a girl with whom I went to school. I remember a lot of our friends, a number of our schoolmates were there. I can't say much about the Independence celebrations other than it was really a lovely occasion.
On Independence Day, I can't remember going to any special occasion in particular. I remember it was a holiday and that people were happy. It seemed to be a great occasion for us as Jamaicans, to become a nation. There were many good wishes for the future.
We had imagined more progress by now. Clearly, there's still a lot of poverty, and we'd hoped for Jamaica to be achieving more, economically and so on. There's still a lot to be done. But on the whole, I'd say it was definitely a positive change.
- Bertram Henry
