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A Spectacular Independence Parade 2023 Promised

The 2023 Independence Day Parade promises to be “spectacular” when it comes off at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex on Thursday, November 30, beginning at 8:00 a.m.

This assurance has come from Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams, who announced the venue change during a press conference in the Ministry’s conference room yesterday.

The parade will have its usual numbers with 17 detachments and a total of 976 persons on show including the Massed Band. It will also feature the pinning of the leadership badges, the presentation of the national honours and an address by the Prime Minister.

In addition, the Barbados Landship which is celebrating a milestone this year, will also feature as a part of the parade along with other cultural organisations.

After leaving the Usain Bolt Sports Complex, the parade will move to the roundabout, travel along Black Rock Main Road, before the Prime Minister and Cabinet take the salute at the Carlton Supermarket Complex. The parade will then turn right and go down Carlton Road and disband at the Carlton Cricket Club Sports Facility.

Mr. Abrahams apologised for the delay in announcing the venue for the parade, while describing the arrangements as “moving targets”. He explained that during the planning phase for the parade, a number of site visits were conducted at traditionally used venues such as Kensington Oval, the Garrison Savannah, the Bridgetown Port, the Weymouth pasture near the Weymouth Police Sports Club and the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.

However, none of these options was viable for varying reasons. The Information Minister explained that the venue for the parade must be close to a bus route; there must be easy access for the troops to get into the venue and it must be able to accommodate spectators. He added that the location should also be suitable for a march past and foster community involvement.

“It is not just the venue; it is what follows the parade and surrounds the venue. We needed to have a place that could accommodate as many people as possible….

“We had to be certain that we could have the area prepared in time to accommodate the entire parade,” he said, noting that they also had to work with a number of other agencies to make it possible,” Mr. Abrahams outlined.

He added that arrangements were being made to facilitate all persons who want to attend, with the Barbados Transport Board responsible for “ferrying and shuttling” persons from the bus stand and the five Park and Ride spots.

Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force, Commodore Errington Shurland, urged persons not to “knock the venue until you [have] tried it”, and insisted that the space was adequate to host the annual event.

He noted that plans were in place to accommodate 2, 700 people at the parade, and invited persons to come out and watch the rehearsals. There will be a rehearsal today, Thursday, November 23, at 5:00 p.m.; on Saturday, November 26, at 7:00 a.m. and the final one on Monday, November 27, at 3:00 p.m. All rehearsals take place at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex.

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner of Police with the Barbados Police Service, Sylvester Louis, said the Black Rock route was easy to manage. He noted that residents from the Black Rock community, Barbadians and visitors were welcome to come out and view the parade. “You will be safe,” he assured. (PR/GIS)

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SPECIAL POLLING DAY NOTICE

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FundAccess To Host Legal Clinic Workshop from May 13th

Entrepreneurs will soon get another opportunity to learn about critical legal matters that are key to the operation of their businesses.

FundAccess will be hosting The Legal Clinic Workshop, which will commence on Tuesday, May 13, and continue each Tuesday, until May 27, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The workshop will be facilitated by Attorney-at-law Ondene Kirton and participants will discuss Understanding Business Legal Structures; Contracts & Agreements; Employment Law & Compliance; and Examination of the Various Laws Relating to Small Business.

During those sessions, the participants will be exposed to sole proprietorship, partnerships, corporations – pro and cons; how to choose the right legal structure for a business; the importance of contracts in business operations; avoiding common contract pitfalls; and employee rights & employer responsibilities, among others. Some of the pieces of legislation to be examined include the Employment Rights Act and National Insurance and Social Security Act.

Interested persons may attend the workshop in person at FundAccess’ Pinfold Street, Bridgetown location, or online via the Zoom Platform. To register, click on the following link: https://bit.ly/3Fu09Jv.

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Centenarian Built On Firm Foundation Set By Grandmother

“Trust God first” is the mantra of one of Barbados’ newest centenarians, Athelstan Browne, who celebrated his 100th birthday on April 29, 2025, at his home in Montrose, Christ Church, surrounded by family and friends.

One of his specially invited guests was President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason.

Mr. Browne shared that he grew up “not knowing a mummy” as his mother passed away at age 23, when he was two years old, and his brother was only one year old.

Crediting his grandmother for his upbringing, Mr. Brown remarked: “I had a real good, good grandmother that raised two of us, and everything we learn before we went to school, she taught us.”

Pointing to a humble yet deeply religious upbringing, Mr. Browne said: “I and my brother slept on the floor. Our grandmother spread things down there, and she just put the pillow under our head.”

He recalled that they had to sing the hymn “Under the Blood” before going to bed, and first thing in the morning before they had breakfast, which usually consisted of “a cup of tea and two biscuits”. Adding that the hymn was “our song”, Mr. Browne sang the hymn from memory.

Stressing that his grandmother was a great provider, he noted: “My grandmother had land, and she would work the land…. We would eat raw potato, raw okras, (green) peas, cucumbers…. The only thing we did not eat was raw yams and eddoes.”

Mr. Browne continues to enjoy his ground provisions “with a little rice”, as he likes his rice with green peas, and if available, chicken boiled with the rice. “I am a fish man,” he remarked, eating it either fried or with a “stew sauce”.

Continuing to nurture his Christian beliefs, he joined the Mount Ararat United Holy Church (currently in Dayrell’s Road, Christ Church) in 1967, at age 33, and has continued there ever since.

Once the Superintendent of the Sunday School at the church, Mr. Browne is still instrumental in providing leadership to the youth there. “I have a crowd of young people at church that love me…especially when I have to talk to them…. It is what they should hear and what they should have,” he said.

The centenarian was raised in Montrose, Christ Church, and attended the Christ Church Boys’ School (now Milton Lynch Primary School). After leaving school, Mr. Browne initially took to agriculture but then worked cutting soft stone in two quarries in Christ Church.

In 1947, at the age of 22, he decided to join the US Farm Labour Programme and took the first Pan American Airlines flight out of Barbados. Over 10 years later, Mr. Browne returned to Barbados and married Monica Browne (deceased). Together, they built the house where he currently resides.

Returning to his roots in agriculture, the centenarian worked at the Ridge Plantation, Christ Church, until retirement. He also planted and reaped ground produce at home, as well as planted and cut canes.

Mr. Browne, who is generally in good health and has a sharp memory, still works around the home and enjoys reading, which he does without glasses. He also keeps in touch with his family in New York and North Carolina, and will do some travelling, but he is always ready to return home.

After toasting the centenarian, Her Excellency remarked: “You are in the midst of a lot of love, and I am sure you are going to enjoy the rest of your birthday. I am really happy to have met you. I am grateful for the work that you still continue to do with our young people because a lot of them lack direction, and we, nowadays, don’t take enough time to sit down and speak with them…. We don’t remind them that they are important, that they are somebody.”

Mr. Browne responded: “You got to make them understand what … the Lord expects of them… We have to acknowledge the Lord.”

Mr. Browne has two children, 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. (PR/GIS)

Caption: President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, and Barbados’ newest centenarian Athelstan Browne take a walk outside during his birthday celebrations in Montrose, Christ Church