Drones return as Grand Gala fulfils promise to excite
Published:Tuesday | August 8, 2023 | 12:07 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
For a second consecutive year, the spectacular drone show topped all performances at this year’s Independence Grand Gala celebration, held at the National Stadium on Sunday.
As the National Stadium’s lights dimmed and the drones took to the sky, patrons blew into their vuvuzelas and raised the excitement for the highly anticipated aspect of the evening’s 61st celebration of Jamaica’s Independence on the same grounds where it was first celebrated in 1962.
The drone show was first introduced during the 60th anniversary celebration, held last year with 300 drones which, back then, left thousands of Jamaicans both mesmerised and surprised.
For 2023, the reaction of the crowd was similar inside the National Stadium to what it was last year. Patrons were fascinated with the imagery and story depicted through imagery of the drones, starting with a British Crown that depicted the nation which had a hold on Jamaica during the pre-Independence years leading up to 1962.
Following the British Crown, there were drone presentations of: sugar; breaking the shackles of slavery; the sculpture at Emancipation Park; one pot bubbling to represent out of many one people; a melting pot of cultures; the World Record of the fastest man alive, Usain Bolt; national fruit, ackee; Jamaican National Hero Marcus Garvey; the Jamaica map with the coat of arms, and the word R-E-P-U-B-L-I-C, hinting the future of the nation as ties are expected to be severed with Britain.
The cultural narration was complemented with Jamaican songs, including Buju Banton’s Our Father in Zion, Busy Signal’s Jamaica Love, Dennis Brown’s Revolution, Damian Marley’s Confrontation, Bob Marley’s Redemption Song, Jimmy Cliff’s We All Are One, The Astronauts’ Born Jamaican, Jamaica United’s Rise Up, and other hit singles also brought flair and elegance to the drone show.
It concluded by depicting the logos of all its sponsors, such as the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission, the Ministry of Gender, Culture, Entertainment and Sport, the National Health Fund, the National Housing Trust, the Universal Service Fund, the HEART/NSTA Trust, the Civil Aviation Authority, Reel Media and the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education Fund.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
Other highlights of the event included awards being given to Morgan Heritage and the Caribbean’s leading soca entertainer, Trinidadian Machel Montano, who was presented with the Keys to the City of Kingston by Mayor Delroy Williams.
Montano mentioned that his first time in a classroom was in Jamaica at Mona Basic School, before performing his soca hits Memory and Happiest Man Alive.
After accepting their awards, the three members of the Morgan Heritage group present, performed their Reggae singles, Don’t Haffi Dread, Down By The River, She’s Still Loving Me, What We Need is Love, Reggae Bring Back Love and People Like You.
The Grand Gala began with a ceremonial opening featuring a guard of honour mounted by the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force (JCCF) accompanied by the massed bands of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
They were followed by the parade of uniformed groups – the JCF, Island Special Constabulary Force, Department of Correctional Services, Jamaica Fire Brigade, JCCF, Boys’ Scouts, Girls’ and Boys’ Brigade, the Girl Guides and Pathfinders.
For this year, Governor General Sir Patrick Allen and Opposition Leader Mark Golding were both absent from the event.
Sir Patrick was represented by Steadman Fuller, custos rotulorum for Kingston, while Golding was represented by Denise Daley, opposition spokesperson on culture, gender, and transformation.