NY Consulate-hosted Jamaica Independence gala to return next year

The Independence gala, hosted by the Jamaican Consulate in New York, will return next year after not being held this past August.

The gala will be held on August 23 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in midtown Manhattan. Ticket prices will start at US$350, a $50 price increase from 2023.

The Independence gala is put on by the Jamaica Consulate in New York in conjunction with non-profit organisation, Jamaica Promise.

In a statement in August, the consulate said it deeply regretted that the Jamaica Independence Gala would not be held this year.

According to the consulate’s statement, the non-holding of the gala was due to competing priorities, and the difficult decision had to be made to forgo “this cherished event”.

“We understand that many of you plan your calendars well in advance, and we wanted to ensure that this announcement was made with ample notice. We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding during this time,” the statement said at the time.

The statement indicated that the consulate deeply valued the sense of community and joy that the gala has brought to all attendees.

The Independence gala is hosted with Jamaica Promise as the cconsulate is not a non-profit organisation and therefore cannot raise funds on its own. The consulate has to work in conjunction with a registered non-profit organisation for the staging of the gala to raise funds.

Funds raised from the gala are used to fund scholarships for students at several educational institutions in Jamaica, including The University of the West Indies and the University of Technology Jamaica.

During an end-of -the-year Christmas party held last Friday at the consulate offices in Manhattan, Consul General Alsion Wilson not only announced that the Independence gala will return next year, but also outlined some of the achievements of the mission this year in serving the diaspora.

She told guests present, including the consuls-general of Antigua and Dominica, that, for the year, she attended more than 250 functions across the diaspora while the consulate handled more than two million calls.

She said the consulate staff processed more than 15,000 passport applications, over 300 visa applications, and more than 1,500 Jamaican citizenship applications.

She both thanked and praised the staff of the consulate for the work that they did on behalf of the diaspora for the year under review.

“These are all in relation to the handling of more than 10,000 pension requests across all 50 states from Jamaican pensioners,” she said.

The Jamaica Consulate in New York has responsibility for 33 states in the United States as well as overseeing Bermuda and Puerto Rico.

editorial@gleanerjm.com