HAVING the opportunity to travel around the country three times in the last three weeks, while assisting the Jamaica 50 parish committees, with the planning and execution of Jamaica’s Golden Jubilee commemorative events on August 5 and 6, reinforced my love and admiration for the Jamaican people and our cultural identity.

These committees in the outlying parishes are mostly drawn from the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), professional classes, civil servants, the political directorate, and Custodes. They give of their time voluntarily in developing and managing various aspects of the celebratory activities in each parish. What I experienced with each and every committee was their strong sense of pride in Jamaica and commitment to the task at hand, fully recognising that Jamaica was the centre of attraction for the rest of the world during this special period. They all went about their tasks in a very civil collaborative and dignified manner, which made the hard work and long hours necessary for implementing this ambitious project more worth it.

‘Man plan an’ God wipe out.’… (Jamaican Proverb) With their strong faith in God and convinced that He would not rob us the opportunity to celebrate this unique, once in a lifetime occasion, even when Tropical Storm Ernesto threatened to derail all our careful planning, these patriotic Jamaicans doggedly persevered in carrying forward the execution of their tasks, sometimes, under extremely adverse weather conditions. Their efforts were richly rewarded by the throngs of ordinary Jamaicans, dressed in our national colours, in such an array of styles and fashions that one could not escape being caught up in the intense patriotic spirit and fervour on display in each parish capitol.

The decision of the Jamaica 50 Secretariat to place screens in all the parishes broadcasting the London Olympic races, in which our athletes participated, was an insightful decision in hindsight. Just before each race, the park in Mandeville, for instance, would suddenly and almost mysteriously swell with people wanting to watch and cheer our athletes on. When they excelled, the jubilation was contagious and uniquely Jamaican in its character. While the National Anthem was being played at the Grand Gala all the Jamaicans in the Mandeville Park properly stood at attention and most sang along with utmost respect, pride and dignity in being Jamaican.

These events have established a higher uniform national standard in most parishes, with the exception of Montego Bay, where for many years they have traditionally staged an event of this stature. One of the legacies of the Jamaica 50 Secretariat, if the blueprint is closely followed in ensuing years, will be a significant upgrade in the physical layout and technical equipment used in the staging of national events around the country. Given Jamaica’s reputation for the staging of world famous events and a national objective to convert this into increased tourism earnings, these events, were transformed, to meet the minimum international standards in one fell swoop.

Email: che.campbell@gmail.com