Williams reflects on first Independence parade

When this country gained its independence back in 1979, many persons turned out to Victoria Park to witness the event which began on October 26th and ended on the 27th. Grantley Williams, a Warrant Officer in the Cadet Corps at the time, was one of the persons who actually participated in the parade.{{more}}

Williams, who is now a businessman and a Director of the National Lotteries Authority, said that when he heard that this country was about to gain independence, he thought that it would be a good opportunity to raise the flag, but he never asked to do so. However, when he was actually chosen by the cadets to take part in the ceremony, it felt like just another military exercise.



“There was no anxiety. I wasn’t anxious. It was just drills that we were accustomed doing in our own military life, so it was only a matter of executing it,” said Williams.

Though he did not hoist the flag, Williams said he, along with two escorts, collected the flag at around 11:47 pm on October 26, 1979, from Premier, at the time, Robert Milton Cato, and marched to where the three flagpoles were stationed. He handed the flag over to David Yearwood, who was Regimental Officer in the cadet corps.



“The three of us went up, I took the flag, we turned and we went back down half way across the field to where the three flag poles were erected,” Williams told the SEARCHLIGHT.

Yearwood was the person who raised the new flag.

Reflecting on that occasion, Williams said that the execution of the military parade went perfectly; everything went along with great timing. According to Williams, the flag unfurled at around midnight, but because of its large size, it took a few seconds before it flew properly.

Comparing independence celebrations then with now, Williams said, “The population now is a lot less politically aware and is less involved in discussing the issues of the day.”

According to him, back in the earlier years, a high percentage of young people in secondary schools would have been discussing social issues and were much more aware and concerned about what was going on in the country, how the country was running, as well as forming community groups.

Today, Williams now takes a source of pride on being one of the persons present at the parade when this country gained its independence back in 1979, but said that it seems not to matter to persons in today’s society, as many do not recognize its significance.