Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Support of African Liberation Day Celebrations

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (MMS-SKN) — In celebration of the 61st Anniversary of African Liberation Day through a week of activities (May 19-26) under the theme ‘Forging Caribbean African Integration through Trade and Diplomacy’, the Nyabinghi Theocracy Order has received a major boost from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“I would like to thank the Nyabinghi Theocracy Order and the Rastafarian community for being a consistent force over decades that have kept the torch ablaze in the celebration of our history and our African heritage,” said Ambassador in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Her Excellency Nerys Dockery. “You have been unfailing and unwavering in your commitment, year in and year out and this is truly commendable.

Her Excellency Dockery, who is the former Ambassador of St. Kitts and Nevis to the United Nations, made the remarks on Tuesday May 21 when she appeared on the popular Freedom FM’s Issues Programme, along with the PRO of the Nyabinghi Theocracy Order, Mr Samande ‘Ras Iya’ Reid.

African Liberation Day, pointed out the Ambassador, was set aside to celebrate the achievement and progress of liberation movements around the continent and across the world to symbolise the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation.

Caribbean leaders and scholars have always been a part of the pan-Africanist movement, she pointed out. Among them Marcus Garvey of Jamaica, George Padmore and CLR James of Trinidad and Tobago, Amy Ashwood Garvey of Jamaica, Ras Makonnen of British Guyana, who stood alongside their African brothers and sisters, among them Nnamdi Azidiwe of Nigeria, Wallace Johnson of Sierra Leone, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana.

Through the short-lived West Indies Federation, which tried to create a political and economic union among the colonies of the British Empire and the Caribbean, St. Kitts and Nevis played a role as the Founding Father, the Rt. Excellent Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw served as Finance Minister.

“So, as we see, St. Kitts and Nevis, despite our small size, has always played a huge and dynamic leadership role in the evolution of regional integration and the advancement of the black power movement in the Caribbean,” said Ambassador Dockery.

She added: “And we continue to be a respected voice to this day under the successive administrations, particularly under the leadership of the Rt. Hon Dr Denzil Douglas and now the Hon Dr Terrance Drew.”

The Rt. Hon Dr Douglas now serves as the Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and according to Ambassador Dockery, St. Kitts and Nevis has engaged pivotally to strengthening and deepening its diplomatic, economic, commercial and people-to-people engagement with the continent and countries of Africa.

According to the PRO of the Nyabinghi Theocracy Order, Mr Samande ‘Ras Iya’ Reid, the week of activities started on Sunday 19, with solemn spiritual activities at Old Road River, and on the following day, graveside visits of the fallen martyrs of the Nyabinghi Theocracy Order and the Rastafarian community.

Ras Iya had earlier on Friday, May 17 appeared on WINN FM’s Voices Programme hosted by King Socrates, and for the appearance on Freedom FM’s Issues on Tuesday May 21, which was hosted by Ms Jamiella McPhail, he thanked Ambassador Her Excellency Nerys Dockery for articulating in a significant way the stand of the government of St. Kitts and Nevis.

On Wednesday, May 22, there was an island-wide distribution of food hampers to the elderly and the needy, while on Thursday, May 23, they donated African I (Black History) Books to the students of the Dr William Connor Primary School.

On Friday, May 24, from 11:00 a.m. there will be a celebration of African Culture at Independence Square, which will feature African cuisine, dance, poetry, folklore, and craft. He noted: “Our brothers and sisters from the continent of Africa who are from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Tanzania, will come and display their national dishes.”

“We will hold the African Liberation Day Solidarity Rally at the Independence Square on Saturday, May 25, starting at 1:00 p.m.,” observed Mr Samande ‘Ras Iya’ Reid. “That will be the grand rally on what we call Freedom Day. Our featured speaker will be local historian, Mr Leonard Stapleton, and we have speeches from the different political parties, including the Prime Minister of our Federation the Hon Dr Terrance Drew.”