I am honoured once again to welcome you to the Fox Hill Festival as the Member of Parliament for this area.  This is the 173rd anniversary of the abolition of slavery.  Slavery was abolished throughout the then British Empire on 1st August 1834. We come then to honour the efforts and the contributions of those many men and women of goodwill who fought to end a practice that denied the humanity of African peoples in the world.

If you examine the historical records of this area, you will note that there have been observances in this area since the time of the abolition act itself.  Eric Wilmott who is our master of ceremonies this evening was able to show me a copy of a newspaper extract from the Nassau Guardian dating back to the 1880s.  That means that this community has the distinction of having the longest continuous record of marking this occasion anywhere in the country.  In fact, the observances have been largely extinct in any other community save Gambier and even that ceremony has only been recently revived.

This year we also observe the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.  We observed this in Fox Hill on the 25th March of this year and held a March here that saw as our principal guest at that time to distinguished foreign visitors from the African continent from Sierre Leone, its U.N. Ambassador and from the Republic of South Africa.  Today’s events can be seen as an extension of those observances.

As I said at that time, I do not want it to be said that we are celebrating but rather we are marking the occasion because we know that it is important never to forget.

I am a little concerned that the impression is being given that this is just another holiday period.  Some have also been mixing up the question of the emancipation observances with the social agenda of festivities and excursions and sailing regattas.  This has nothing whatever to do with those things.  It is a solemn observance without equal.  It is the authentic cultural item, with an authentic history over many many generations.  It cannot be duplicated, nor compared, and should not be sabotaged.

It is my view that this is the closest we come to national observances on the matter of emancipation.  It ahs led the way as the only community that does so, and I have sought as the representative for Fox Hill to ensure that this is so.   It must be defended at all costs.

I want therefore to congratulate the Fox Hill Festival Committee for the stellar work that it ahs done once again in organizing these activities over the next two weeks. I ask them all to stand and be acknowledged.   The climax of the event will of course be the Fox Hill day observances on Tuesday 14th August.  And no ladies and gentlemen, to the uninitiated, the Fox Hill people did not get the news one week late about abolition, Fox Hill Day known in some circles as Party Day, is special day set aside by the Baptist Churches in this area to mark the occasion.  It has been a practice again since the 1880s.

It is important on this occasion to recognize the role of the church in the protection of the life of Fox Hill and in the continuation of its cultural traditions.  Any Member of Parliament here is simply the keeper and protector of those traditions.   It was important therefore that the Government supports this effort and it must be acknowledged that the Government continues to do its part with regard to support of this Festival. That tangible commitment is symbolized here this evening with the visit of the Minister of State for Culture the Hon. Charles Maynard.

I look forward then to all of the Festivities over the coming two weeks.  I look forward to the climax of Fox Hill Day.  I encourage both the young and old to participate in making this a success.

Thank you all for coming and for lending your support.

It is now my duty to ask the Minister of State for Culture Charles Maynard to come an address us.  Welcome Minister.