The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

JACK Thompson, the permanent secretary of the Independence Secretariat, said officials are not finished determining the cost of this year’s independence anniversary celebrations.

He told The Tribune yesterday that officials are preparing for yet another independence-related event: the National Supreme Honour Award, which will be held next month.

“We’re working on those figures for you because, remember, it’s not only New Providence,” Mr Thompson said. “We tend to think just about New Providence. It’s New Providence, it’s the Family Islands and our overseas missions.”

Celebrations related to the 50th anniversary of independence were elaborate.

The calendar of events included several local galas and events held abroad in various cities, including London, Miami and Atlanta.

There was a 50th Golden Soirée, a national float parade, and a jubilee in Pompey Square which featured a night market and concert series.

Last year, the government allocated $5.2m for the celebrations.

When St Anne’s MP Adrian White asked why the Cabinet Office budget for ceremonial events increased from $750k to $5.2m, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said the independence anniversary would be a “big, big deal for us and we are going to celebrate it thoroughly”.

“There is a secretariat that has been set up for this event. There will be many, many events leading up to the actual 50th celebration. We happen to be very excited about this,” he said in the House of Assembly.