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| (right to left) Shirley Farnum, Permanent Secretary for Culture and Sports; Esworth Reid, Acting Permanent Secretary for the Division of Family and Youth; Charles Piggott, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (standing, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, NULL, NULL, 0); Commander Sean Reece, Parade Commander (seated, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, NULL, NULL, 0); Lt. Commander Carson Hackett, BDF Public Relations Officer and Warrant Officer Class 1, Christopher Blenman, discuss plans for this year’s Independence Celebrations. (C.Pitt/BGIS) |
This year’s 45th anniversary of independence celebrations will focus on the family and all Barbadians are being encouraged to come out and support the events.
This was disclosed by Acting Permanent Secretary in the Division of Family and Youth, Esworth Reid. He was giving details of the National Independence Service and Parade during a press conference today at Parliament Buildings, the City.
In relation to the Independence Service, Mr. Reid said this year’s service would take place on Sunday, November 27, in Independence Square, beginning at 4:00 p.m. He added that the theme would focus on: Resolving our Challenges as a Family and Achieving as a Nation.
Mr. Reid noted that the service would be preceded with a parade of approximately 500 young persons representing various youth groups marching from Jubilee Gardens to Independence Square. He further added that there would be prayers for the family, the nation and the youth to address whatever challenges may be occurring in daily life and to ask for God’s assistance.
The Acting Permanent Secretary disclosed that officiating clergy would include, among others, the Bishop of Barbados, the Most Rev. Dr. the Hon. John Holder, and Monsignor Vincent Blackett of the Barbados Christian Council; while the Chief Celebrant would be Canon Noel Burke.
He also said there would be a number of musical renditions by the St. Leonard’s Boys’ Choir and the Royal Barbados Police Force Band. Mr. Reid pointed out that in a similar vein to last year, the youth would feature prominently in the service. In the event of inclement weather, he explained, the service would be moved to St. Mary’s Anglican Church.
In terms of the National Independence Parade, Commander Sean Reece of the Barbados Defence Force indicated that this year’s event would be held on Wednesday, November 30, at 8:00 a.m. at the Garrison Savannah.
He said there would be a number of detachments of armed and unarmed units, as well as marching and massed bands, including the Barbados Defence Force, the Royal Barbados Police Force and their Mounted Troop, and the Barbados Cadet Corps. Commander Reece also said that a detachment from the Royal Navy would be on parade, as well as personnel from the Barbados Legion.