Moko Jumby Celebrates Independence
Washington DC
October 6, 2013
During the regular sitting of the OAS Permanent Council on Friday, September 20, 2013, in the presence of Permanent and Observer Representatives of the OAS, the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis was saluted by its Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Her Excellency Jacinth Henry-Martin in marking the 30th Anniversary of Independence.
Later that evening, hundreds of nationals, invited dignitaries, strategic partners, and friends of the Federation toasted the attainment of this momentous milestone during a grand reception at the OAS Hall of the Americas in Washington, DC. during which Ambassador Henry-Martin welcomed guests, including His Excellency Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the OAS and Ambassadors serving in the US Capital.
The ambiance of a true Kittitian and Nevisian tropical paradise was created by displays of batik arts, the performance of Kittitian mocko-jumbie Franklyn Herbert, and enhanced by the ambient strains of a Caribbean steel pan and visual arts pieces featuring traditional folklore characters. Brinley Gold Shipwreck Rum entered into generous partnership with the Embassy of St Kitts and Nevis in ensuring that the celebration was appropriately spiced.
In her remarks to the gathering, Ambassador Henry-Martin celebrated the “Democracy, Peace, Promise and Potential” of St Kitts and Nevis. “Thirty years on from that memorable day”, she continued, “our contribution to the fabric of every society in which Kittitians and Nevisians lend their skills and expertise enriches and shapes the lives of those with whom we interact in all spheres of endeavour. We are a people, after all, who define ourselves not by the acreage of our lands but by the richness of the tangible and intangible gifts we share, and by our desire to advance ourselves, and to help others in the process of doing so.”
The Ambassador boasted on country gains in education, housing, and foreign direct investment, and lauded Kittitians and Nevisians of the Diaspora who “have learnt to be diligent and productive, have grown to understand the sacrifices that result in success, and have never in the process forgotten the land of their birth.” She applauded them for contextualizing their need to be present in the USA, for weathering social and economic storms, and for seizing opportunities for education and advancement to distinguish themselves.
The Embassy of St Kitts and Nevis has collaborated and supported the efforts of national associations across the USA to bring nationals together in grand celebration of the Thirtieth Anniversary of Independence in key concentrations of the National Diaspora in the DC/Maryland/Virginia Metro Area, Houston, Miami and in New York.