Independence celebrations kick off this weekend

Traditional music at Independence 2013
Traditional music at Independence 2013

Two days of island-wide prayer and thanksgiving this weekend will signal the start of Dominica’s 2014 Independence celebration.

Fet Andepandans or the Independence Celebration will begin on September 20th and continue to November 4th and will see several new features added to the already packed program of activities.

The celebration is being observed under the theme “Our nation our responsibility.”

For the first time there will be a Secondary schools’ creole choral speech competition at the Arawak house of culture, the Wata (Water) Fest at Wesley, History week to be held under the theme “Kalinago Heritage” together with a national arts and craft exhibition and food fair.

“We begin by giving thanks to God in all things especially on the occasion of the 36th anniversary of Dominica’s independence,” former Chief Cultural Officer and Chairperson for the Independence activities, Raymond Lawrence, said at the official media launch on Wednesday.

Raymond is calling on Dominicans to join in prayer this weekend
Raymond is calling on Dominicans to join in prayer this weekend

The launch took place at the studio of the Government Information Service (GIS).

“We are encouraging all Dominicans to join together in prayer for the nation and to dress in national wear to attend services this weekend,” he said.

Lawrence noted that it is with this theme in mind that, “we call all Dominicans to continue to take on the responsibility in being good stewards of this beloved country of ours.”

He reasoned that Dominica has come a long way since its independence 36 years ago, but there is still a lot of untapped potential that needs exploring and maximizing.

“We have come a long way since Dominica became independent in 1978,” he stated. “But Dominica still has a lot of untapped potential that we have to explore and maximize. There is still room for further growth and development and as we enter into another independence season.”

He added that as Dominica enters the independence season citizens should commit “to nation building and a new commitment to cooperation and striving for what is best for Dominica and for us as a people.”

Dominica’s independence celebration is being hosted by the Government of Dominica and the Independence Committee and other public and private sector institutions.

The following are some of the activities:
-September 20-21st National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving
-Friday 26th Official opening ceremony at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium at 5.30 pm
-Saturday 27-28th Titiwi festival at Layou
-Saturday 27-28th Eastern, Northern, Southern district Cultural semi-finals and National rally for older persons

October
-Friday 3rd Creole wear
-Saturday 4th Western, South-Western South Eastern district Cultural Semi-finals
-Sunday 5th North Eastern District Semi-Finals
-Monday 6th North, South East, South Zone Athletics Preliminaries
-Monday 6-10th History week-theme “Kalinago heritage”
-Thursday 9th North West, South West Zone Athletics Preliminaries
-Friday 10th Creole wear and Cultural finals part 1
-Saturday 11th Cultural Finals part 2
-Sunday 12th Cultural finals part 3, World rural women’s day celebrations
-Wednesday 15-16th Secondary schools independence athletics finals day one and two
-Friday 17th Creole wear
-Saturday 18th Market day with a difference Marigot, NCCU Cadance Lypso competition
-Sunday 19th Heritage day at Capuchin
-Wednesday 22nd primary schools independence athelics finals
-Thursday 23rd National wob dwiyet pageant
-Friday 24th Public Service Day, Information Expo, Creole wear, Flag Day
-Friday 24th -26th World Creole Music festical
-Saturday 25th Pan in the city, market day with a difference Roseau
-Sunday 26th Kweyol Bod La me
-Monday 27-30th Creole in the Park
-Tuesday 28th Secondary schools creole choral speech, E.O Leblanc Distinguished lecture series
-Wednesday 29th –November 2nd Wata (Water) Fest
-Thursday 30th National Youth Rally, Madam Wob Dwiyet pageant
-Friday 31st Creole Day, Dollar Day (DAPD), Creole Dress Parade

November
-Saturday 1st-2nd Fet Lapwent
-Saturday 1st Market day with a difference in Portsmouth
-Sunday 2nd Creole in the North, Ti- Matador Creole Pageant
-Monday 3rd National day parade, National Cultural gala
-Tuesday 4th National Day of Community Service

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20 Comments

  1. hey
    September 15, 2016

    Are the prayer dates correct? thought was Saturday and Sunday and not Tuesday and Wednesday

  2. sagacious
    September 18, 2014

    So we got a Republican constitution which is advanced over some of the other OECS coutries
    Indeed the referendum to have a republican constitution was as an effort by PM Gonsalves of St.Vincent which failed to get support .
    There is an ombudsman to address corruption in our constitution who was never appointed. An IPO which is very questionabe with littile to show after years as to what they can accomplish was introduced instead .
    Clearly John and his colleagues are to be commended for and advance constitution —ST LUICA HAS A GOVENOR GENERAL UDER THE QUEEN !
    Interesting we see streets named under MIKE DOUGALS who never was head of state just as Prevost of UWP was omly a long serving parl rep ..we see schools named under Rosie Douglas who served a few months as PM without any acomplishment in office .. we see a street and school named to Pierre Charles who was the PM duirng our disastrous economic crisis which of course avertred the worst expectations through the sagacity and skills of SWINBURNE LESTRADE WHO WAS THE MAN OF THE YEAR FOR THAT ACCOMPLISMNET is his only clain to fame during his siint in office .
    We are still awaiting streets named to Prime Ministers John- Seraphin amd indeed Eddison James who served and contributed in various ways no less than the others allready named including Eugenia Charles
    Selective discrimination is inapproriate . This independence is a good time to replace colonial names of kings and queens in Rosaeau as we are A REPUBLICAN STATE and now replace it with names of our former PRIME MINISTERS including ROOSEVELT SKERRITT !

  3. history
    September 18, 2014

    I did a research and have found out that there are living Ministers and the PM who brought us to Independence through a labour GOVERNMNT FOLLOWING THE HISTORIC SALISBURY DECLARATION of then PREMIER PATRICK JOHN.
    Minister Vic Rivierre who had been the active Minister of Finance who gave us the National Bank and who together with O.J Seraphin then Minister of Agriculture and Preisdent of the Labour Party met the mob at the EC Lobalck bridge orchestrated by Charles Savrin and Eugenia Charles of the FREEDOM PARTY who were expressing aggressive hostility by demonstarting attacking the vehicles of the officials with their supporters on the return of the Ministers from London seeking Independence for our country .
    Also still alive is Luke Corriette Minister and Parl .Rep. then of the Petiire Savanne constituency .
    These are the labourites who gave their youthful years to the cause of party and country ..why are the marginalized ?
    We the people as Leblanc have memoire poule and selective historical facts to obliterate those who we seek to eradicate from our history
    However history is a stubborn thing –it never goes away

  4. Dominica's love
    September 18, 2014

    This island is ours. Do not politics destroy our love for Dominica.. leave political maylay out of this year’s beautiful lovely Dominica’s independence celebration please.. carry on in Prayer and let God be praise… great job independence committee and all others who are directly involved. God bless our Nation..

  5. history
    September 17, 2014

    So Patrick John and the other Ministers who gave us Independence get honorable mention and be given the respect and dignity of the STATESMEN who led us into independece .
    Someare still alive ..can they get their roses ?
    how long do we intend denying history ?
    Can we get this labour party Government to give their previous leaders who brought us ito INDEPENDECE the repect they deserve.

  6. The Facts
    September 17, 2014

    A prayerful, appreciative and gratefulness to God. Our Lord said, “In all things – all circumstances of life, give thanks and praise to God” for He knows what is best.
    A blessed, happy and safe Independence celebration.
    No plans yet to visit due to my schedule. I will be following your events on DNO. :)

    • Anonymous
      October 28, 2014

      :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

  7. Truth
    September 17, 2014

    No wonder they are fulling the holes in lagoon road with tarrish MA GUA SA,
    Instead of fixing it ,they are fooling it with tarrish ,but is no mistake ,because the palrep already told the people even he dont do nanything for them ,they will still vote him,and their hands was all in the airshouting yeahhhhhhhhhhhh
    IDIOTS,

    • The Facts
      September 17, 2014

      “filling” – Who is the idiot?

    • anonymous2
      September 18, 2014

      True.

  8. sam
    September 17, 2014

    Let us incorporate that pray with obedience.

    • The Facts
      September 17, 2014

      Also general respect and patriotism. Let every D/can resident contribute something permanently beneficial to their country. The government cannot do everything. It needs the assistance and cooperation of nationals to make D/ca a progressive country.

  9. at a lost for words
    September 17, 2014

    WOW, that is a pack agenda. I will not be visiting this year, waiting for the election die down. will visit in November 2015

    • The Facts
      September 17, 2014

      “a loss for words”; “to die down”. Visit if the good Lord wills. Tomorrow was promised to no one.

    • The Facts
      September 17, 2014

      packed agenda.

  10. foreign
    September 17, 2014

    Include one more possible elections good job nonetheless

  11. faceup
    September 17, 2014

    Can any one fire Waddix Charles he is killing Creole Festival…So I will pass on that one. 8-O

  12. mwe meme
    September 17, 2014

    nou konnet vive!…..God Bless my lovely island DOMINICA….and it’s people

  13. Anonymous
    September 17, 2014

    I am heading down to Dominica next month and I cannot wait to visit.

    It’s been too long since my last visit.

    I pledge not to let it go as long ’til my next visit.

    • The Facts
      September 17, 2014

      A happy, enjoyable and safe visit. Take care with Chi… and Ebola.
      Do you reside in a cold climate or a tropical one? Watch out for your immune system. Eat nutritiously. Eat and drink citrus fruits and take Vitamin C, D and E of all. Some brandy and rum could assist. :lol:
      Prepare your health before hand and take care while you are there so that you will return in the same healthy manner.

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