HANOVER, Jamaica - Jamaica's second smallest parish, Hanover, is 300 years old today and to mark the historic occasion, a year-long series of activities has been planned. The latter will kick-off today with a church service followed by a fireworks activity at Fort Charlotte.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness was expected to give brief remarks at the tricentenary ecumenical church service at the Lucea Anglican Church (Parish Church) which was scheduled to get underway at 3:00 pm.

Custos of Hanover, David Stair, will represent the Governor General Sir Patrick Allen.

The fireworks session will have various entertainment items to include Digicel Rising Stars 2023 winner, Remone Watson.

Co-chair of the tricentenary planning committee, Andria Dehaney Grant said the milestone is a big achievement.

“Three hundred years is not a small number to be a parish. Celebrating 300 years is a good position. We all know that we don't have everything as we would want it to be as we celebrate 300 years but nonetheless, we are looking for better days going forward,” stated Dehaney Grant, who is also the Deputy Mayor of Lucea.

Hanover, which has close to 70,000 residents, was created from a section of Westmoreland on November 12, 1723.

The parish capital is home to the still fully functional Lucea clock tower that was built in 1817; Fort Charlotte that was constructed in 1745 and named after George III's wife Queen Charlotte; and Rusea's High School's Campus 2, which was established in 1777, making it the fourth-oldest continuously operated high school in Jamaica.

The parish is also the birthplace of Jamaica's first prime minister and national hero, Sir Alexander Bustamante; former Prime Minister PJ Patterson; retired Justice, Seymour Panton; and is also home to Dolphin Head Mountain, which reaches a majestic height of 1,789 feet above the Lucea Harbour which was once a striving banana, yam and molasses port. Hanover is also famous for its ground provision, Lucea yam.