Incumbent Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, and former Prime Minister Edward Seaga are to be honored on Saturday, August 26 by The Jamaica Independence Foundation of New York.
Distinguished Leader Award
Holness is to be honored with the Distinguished Leadership award. He will also be the guest of honor and will deliver the keynote address at Grand Independence Gala to commemorate Jamaica’s 55 years of Independence on August 26, 2017, at the New York Hilton Hotel in Manhattan.
Former Prime Minister Seaga will receive the Nation Builder Award.
Ewing to be honored too
Also to be honored is former Jamaican National Basketball Association (NBA) legend, Patrick Ewing. Ewing who is a former star of the New York Nicks, is now head coach Georgetown University’s basketball team, and is also an inductee into the USA basketball Hall of Fame., He is to be presented with the Son of the Soil Legacy Award.
The black tie gala is being staged by the Jamaica Independence Foundation and the Jamaica Tourist Board .The Foundation was established in 2017 to manage Jamaica’s independence activities in the north east region of the United States.
The event will bring the curtains down on Jamaica’s Independence celebrations in the North-East USA.
The gala is expected to bring together over 1500 Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica. They will be entertained by Romain Virgo and the Unit Band.
Proceeds to assist Jamaican charity; NY school
Proceeds from the Gala will go towards a Jamaica 55The mission of the center is address issues like rape, incest and domestic violence affecting women in Jamaica. Proceeds will also go to the Garvey Elementary School in Bronx, New York. The school is named for Jamaica’s first national hero, The Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey.
The Garvey Elementary School is a private co-educational institution, which uses traditional and progressive teaching strategies.
