People from throughoutAnguillaconverged en masse at the James Ronald Webster Park, from 7 pm to 12 midnight, on Monday, June 4, to join millions around the world celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second. The crowd, estimated at between 1000 and 1200, included a mass turnout out of school children, cultural and dance groups, church choirs and musicians.
The memorable event was held immediately in front the pavilion where the many rows of seats were quickly filled up. Scores of persons stood around the seated area and the pavilion itself was overflowed.Large tents provided accommodation for musicians and public address systems, and an imposing stage was erected nearby where the various groups performed in clear view of the milling crowd.
Across the park, west of the cricket scoreboard, stood what resembled a traditional coal-keel, a mass of wood, about five feet high and mounted on a platform of earth, waiting to be set alight as one of the over 4,000 bonfires or beacons throughout the Commonwealth. Though the setting had an air of formality, there was nevertheless a relaxing atmosphere for all with pleasant weather conditions – the moon shining brightly – and an array of stalls with an abundance of food and drink which were well patronised.
The event commenced promptly at seven o’clock with the British National Anthem and the Anguilla National Song by the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School Orchestra and Choir respectively. These were followed by the Opening Prayer and Intercessions and the Diamond Jubilee Prayer delivered by the Rt. Rev. Errol Brooks.
The welcome remarks and introduction of the chairpersons were by Ms. Veda Harrigan Education Officer for Pre and Primary Schools. She said in part: “Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second, has become the second Monarch in British history to celebrate sixty years on the Throne – the first being QueenVictoria. Her Majesty has reigned through some of the most extreme and astonishing changes ever to take place in our history. There is a long tradition within the Monarchy of celebrating such historic events by the lighting of beacons…It is fitting for us in Anguilla, as part of the Commonwealth family, to join the other countries to celebrate Her Majesty’s achievements, hard work and dedication across this extraordinary time. Our beacon, in the form of the traditional bonfire, will be lit on the eastern side of the park, in front of the scoreboard at 10 pm.”
The chairpersons, introduced by Ms. Harrigan, were Dr. Oluwakemi M. Linda Banks, Educator Colin Johnson and Ms. Lisa Rey, Sales and Marketing Officer at Radio Anguilla, all three being stage personalities.
The schools which gave performances in song or dance were Central Baptist School, Adrian T. Hazel Primary School, Orealia Kelly Primary School,Valley Primary School, Albena Lake-Hodge Concert Band, Steel Orchestra and Choir,Vivien Vanterpool Primary School,MorrisVanterpoolPrimary School,AlwynRichardsonPrimary Schooland the Teacher Gloria Omolulu Institute.
The Church Choirs were the Seventh-day Adventist Youth Choir, Ebenezer Methodist Youth Choir,ChurchofGod(Holiness) Choir, Melodies from Heaven andSt. Augustine’s Chorale.
The cultural group performers were: From Within Dance, All Ah Wee Young Theatre Players,Klassique Dance Academy and Mayoumba Folkloric Theatre.
The bonfire lighters were Centenarian Charlie Gumbs,AlbertA.R.Lake, OBE (local businessman), Olufunmike Banks-Devonish (Miss Anguilla 2011-2012 and university student), Dee-Ann Rogers (sports personality), Janet Guzman (Miss Tiny Tot 2011-2012) and Calvin Vanterpool (CIBC-FCIB Unsung Hero, Anguilla 2011-2012).
Towards the end of the event, His Excellency, Governor Alistair Harrison, delivered the first address. He said that what the bonfire lighters, led by Mr. Gumbs, were about to do would link Anguilla to a world-wide celebration of the Diamond Jubilee including theUnited Kingdom(where the Queen lit the last of the British bonfires).
He stated that the celebration was being held in all fifteen realms where Her Majesty was the Queen, fromCanada, the oldest, to St. Kitts, the newest, the independent republics of the Commonwealth and in theOverseasTerritories.
“In preparing for the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee, the Queen made clear, at an early stage, that she wanted all theOverseasTerritoriesto be grossly involved. Not just in the way I have described with the bonfires being lit around the world, but she also asked that all Governors (myself and my fellow Governors) should remain in territories as her representatives. While all the Chief Ministers were invited toLondonto be representatives of their people, our own Chief Minister, Hubert Hughes, has been unable to attend. He is currently inNew York, but Anguilla is being represented by the representative of the Anguilla Government inLondon- and all the territory representatives have been fully part of the ceremonies.
“There was a special barge for theOverseasTerritoryleaders in theThamespageant which many of you may have seen yesterday (June 3). They have been invited toBuckinghamPalacetoday (June 4) and they will attend the Service of Thanksgiving inSt. Paul’s Cathedral tomorrow (June 5). Anguilla and the otherOverseasTerritorieshave been fully associated with the celebrations.”
Notwithstanding his absence from the celebrations in Anguilla, and inLondon, Chief Minister Hughes, who flew toNew Yorkreportedly on a private jet, left a recorded address for broadcast at the Webster Park. He said the Government and people ofAnguillahad joined “with the rest of the Commonwealth to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of our gracious and Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth the Second.” He stated that the Queen meant “much to us as present-day subjects including myself.”
Mr. Hughes was of the view that Queen Elizabeth “has performed her duties with dignity and poise.” He noted that over the past sixty years she had visited many Commonwealth countries, includingAnguillain 1994, and by being the Queen of England “makes her a very popular figure world-wide.”
He was also of the view that her longevity on the Throne might have been the result of her having “done many things the right way.” He said that Anguilla had taken a special place in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. “We are not only a member of the Commonwealth, but also a British Overseas Territory and therefore these celebrations are, to a large extent, our celebrations,” he added. “On behalf of the Government and people of Anguilla, I send best wishes and congratulations to the Queen for achieving such a rare milestone…May God bless the Queen and may she live for many years to come.”
Elected Member in the Anguilla House of Assembly, OthlynVanterpool, spoke on behalf of the Opposition Leader, Evan M. Rogers, who is off island.
Mr. Rogers, through Mr. Vanterpool, described the Queen’s reign “as a symbol of stability for the entire world community both by precept and example.” He said her reign had also “represented a period of progress and change that has offered us an opportunity to live in a stable and peaceful environment.”
Mr. Rogers went on: “I cannot but feel a great sense of pride to have been born and bred under the protective umbrella of one of the world’s greatest democracies…In this regard, whatever our aspirations are for the future as a nation, remaining a part of the British Commonwealth has never been a subject of debate and discussion. It is my informed opinion that constitutional advancement, and the option for independence for Anguilla, must always be recognised within the context of the British Commonwealthas a result of our experience over the past sixty years.
“Anguilla continues to benefit from this experience and the privilege, and this can only augur well for our advancement as an evolving nation in an ever-changing independent world. Despite our affinity for this relationship, it is inevitable that our full expression of our aspirations as a people will come into conflict, from time to time with our administering power, but we have never abandoned our attitude of respect to Her Majesty. I believe that I speak for most Anguillians, as an Elected Member of the Anguilla House of Assembly, in congratulating Her Majesty on this historic punctuation to her period of caring, compassionate governance and dominion over her subjects all over the world.”
The addresses were followed by a drill display by a contingent of the Royal Anguilla Police Force.
The concluding activities were a procession of torches comprising six Fire Fighters and the Bonfire Lighters and the lighting of the bonfire. Portions of the crowd surged forward at the railings for a close-up view as the petrol-doused beacon erupted in flames into the night sky.
The rest of the programmne continued until midnight with the sale of refreshment and music by Anguilla Time, the island’s newest string band.
A planning committee was established under the auspices of the Ministry of Home Affairs to organise the activities for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The committee, mentioned elsewhere in The Anguillian, was headed by Kenneth Hodge, Principal Assistant Secretary in that Ministry.
