Independence day in the sunshine city

Anthony Minott Photos - Mayor of Portmore Keith Hinds (centre) inspects members of the security forces.

Mayor of Portmore Keith Hinds expressed during an Independence Day message that residents of Portmore have a lot to be proud of since the community has become a municipality.

The mayor was addressing an audience that came out to celebrate Jamaica's 49th anniversary as a free state.

Mayor Hinds said that Portmore, since becoming a municipality in 2003, and under his tenure as mayor, has made strides in the overall development of the sunshine city. He added that the Waterford Fire Station has moved from one unit to three, better capable of handling an ever-growing municipality.

He also divulged that he has interacted and partnered with municipalities and cities in England and the United States to enhance Portmore.

Meanwhile, a 'pass by', and inspection and flag-raising session kick-started proceedings. Reverend Bradley S.E. Dyer read Governor General Sir Patrick Allen's speech, Senator Arthur Williams read Prime Minister Bruce Golding's speech and Colin Fagan, MP for South East St Catherine, read the leader of the opposition Portia Simpson-Miller's speech.

The entertainment package was led by Ascot High's Tonya Bailey, who stressed in a skit that she is "young, gifted and black".

St Henry's Basic School gave the audience a bellyful of laughs with their two presentations. First, they recited Miss Lou's 'Dem Seh', then their dramatic piece, which took a classroom setting, was hilarious, and the crowd could not contain themselves.

Later, another Ascot group, decked out in national colours, did a dub poem, titled 'Jam Dung'. After the function, some persons went home to refresh themselves before travelling to the national stadium to observe the nation's Grand Gala.