More events coming to mark Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

So far, so good.

That’s the view of head of the local Diamond Jubilee Celebrations Committee René Baptiste, who this week indicated that events organized to mark the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, were running smoothly, with a number of events still left, before the culmination later next month.{{more}}

Baptiste, speaking to SEARCHLIGHT on Tuesday, pointed out that a variety of events are still to be held, with preparations for them currently in the works.

We’ve already had three events; and we are very pleased with the level of participation.

“The first one was the royal visit of Edward and Sophie, Earl and Countess of Wessex, representing Her Majesty the Queen, to kick off jubilee celebrations in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“The second one was the lecture by Sir Ronald Sanders, which was a modest success, and the third one was the three-day flower show and tea party which was a tremendous success.”

“We move into June now and where we were advised by the Prime Minister’s office that on the first of June, he will hold a meeting of Parliament at which special tribute will be paid to Her Majesty.

“On the 2nd of June we have scheduled a stamp exhibition; this will be held at Heritage Hall.

“Then on the fifth of June I’ve been in touch with Kingsley Roberts for the arts and photography exhibition to be held at the National Public Library.

“We are trying to collect as many photographs as possible of previous visits of Her Majesty the Queen or members of the royal family during the sixty years of her reign, as part of the exhibition.”

Baptiste said that prior to the ten day exhibition, on June 4, a beacon lighting event has been scheduled, which is an event expected to take place simultaneously throughout the Commonwealth, where all Commonwealth nations are asked to light a beacon at 2200 hours (Greenwich Mean Time).

She indicated that the local beacon has already been designed, and will soon be constructed. This event will take place at the Botanic Gardens.

On the June 16, which is the Queen’s official birthday, the annual Queen’s Birthday Parade is scheduled to take place at the Arnos Vale Playing Field, and will feature the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cadet Corps, the Girl Guides, along with other uniformed groups beginning at 7:30am.

Then in the evening at 7 o’clock, a reception will be held at Government House to move a toast to Her Majesty, which will bring down the curtains on the jubilee celebrations.

Baptiste, who was appointed this country’s representative of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust indicated however, that efforts would continue to raise funds for the Botanic Gardens restoration.

“Persons are asked to make a monetary contribution; and if you having an event and you raise some money, you can give $100 or whatever to the Jubilee Trust, that money goes into a ‘pot’ and then we indicate what is our project…,” Baptiste said.

“But they also will have a project for young sports people, care for the elderly, the disabled. There will be six types of projects to cover six areas, representing the six decades of the reign of Her Majesty.

“The idea is to encourage other groups to make contributions to that trust.”

The Botanic Gardens restoration project is spearheaded by the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; with hopes to give the historic venue a facelift, as part of activities to mark the 250th anniversary of its establishment.