The Private Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) recently presented a proposal to the Ministry of Culture, Entertainment, Gender, and Sports arguing that there be a merging of two significant holidays, the celebrations of Independence Day and the celebration of Emancipation Day, allowing this to become a single extended weekend holiday. In this case, amalgamating both holidays into what would be called emancipendence day.
In response to the PSOJ proposal, Chief Justice Bryan Sykes voiced his opinion while speaking last week at the Trelawny Circuit Court Michaelmas term kickoff ceremony at the William Knibb Baptist Church in Falmouth.
The event commemorated the passing of the Emancipation Act on Aug. 1, 1834, which freed enslaved Africans. The Chief Judge stated that commemorating freedom from slavery should not be seen as a business opportunity.
“For us here in Jamaica, the Emancipation Act was perhaps the first significant legislation that removed Black Africans from property to person,” the Chief Justice commented.
In emphasizing the issue, Justice Sykes noted that Aug. 1, 1834, is not about an increase in domestic travel…it is not solely about an organized weekend-long celebration that could attract tourists to participate in cultural events, concerts, and festivals, thereby boosting revenues across various sectors.
