Mr Ken Khouri (centre) of Federal Recording Co Ltd, presenting a souvenir album in connection with Jamaica's independence to the premier, Sir Alexander Bustamante, at his office. The two LP records in the album contain a dramatic presentation of 'Jamaica History, Jamaica Story' written by Fred Wilmot of the Jamaica Tourist Board. Holding the album on the cover of which is a photograph of Sir Alexander is his private secretary, Miss Gladys Longbridge.

Blades' Musson - a post-independence pioneer

The sell-out from a Barbadian company and its transformation to a wholly Jamaican enterprise started in 1962 and was completed by the end of the 1960s.

Peggy Blades, wife of well-known businessman Desmond Blades said her husband, having built up the company Mussons in the 1960s when equity was relatively cheap, finally bought it out when the shares became more expensive in the 1970s.

Under Blades' direction, Musson's first distributive business was that of importing and selling flour from Haiti. That went very well, according to the Blades, who also did the importation and sale of other staples such as rice and corned beef.

The bumper profits from the lucrative flour trade came to an end when the Jamaica Flour Mills was built in 1972 and the Government put the squeeze on import licences for the product, forcing distributors to do business with the Jamaican producer.

Matalon's ICD dream

Dr Aaron Matalon was co-founder of ICD in 1962 where he served the company for over 50 years, playing an integral role, along with other members of his family in the transformation of the company from a family business to a large conglomerate. ICD started with four companies PA Benjamin, Tropicair Jalousies, West Indies Paints and Facey Commodity at its inception moving to 21 companies in the manufacturing, construction, agriculture, retail, trading and finance sectors in 1992.

Strikes at the 'height' of construction

1962: Over 1,000 workers employed to C.J. Fox, the firm engaged to construct the National Stadium at Briggs Park in Kingston, begin a go-slow in protest against the non-payment of "height premium pay". They maintain they should get this height pay because the grandstand of the stadium is over 60-foot high. It was the sixth time since the start of construction that operations were set back because of labour unrest. In 1961, there were five strikes by the workers over the question of height pay, wages and improved fringe benefits. The plans called for the completion of the stadium, which is larger than Wembley Stadium in London, England, by July 21, 1962.

Tourism made way for Royalty

Wordsworth Harper Watson, a worker at Half Moon hotel, St James, remembers 1962: "After Princess Margaret handed over Jamaica to the local government in Kingston in 1962, they came to Half Moon to have the retreat. Cottages 1-3 were occupied by Princess Margaret, her aid and secretary. Heads of government stayed in cottages 4-10. "That time was real hectic. We used palm leaves to block off their section to make it more private. That was a joyous occasion for me."

Class of '62 snapshots - business