Under the theme of ‘Our Resilience, Our Fortitude, Our People’, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines nationals are marking their 43rd anniversary of independence from the United Kingdom.
One of the largest to gain independence, the Caribbean Island nation, located in the southeast Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, was a member of the Federation of the West Indies.
After its dissolution in 1962, they transitioned towards independence and was granted “associate statehood” status by Britain on 27 October 1969, giving St. Vincent complete control over its own internal affairs, although it fell short of complete independence
On 27 October 1979, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) became the last of the Windward Islands to gain independence following a referendum. It became a constitutional monarchy with the late Queen Elizabeth II as the head and Milton Cato as first prime minister.
Some of the celebration includes a Creative Arts Festival, the National Dance Festival Finale, the Independence Church Service, the Lions Club South National Secondary School Public Speaking Competition, the Queen of Calypso Competition, Junior Pan Showcase and Fun-Day and Sokah Chronicles, a tribute to Ragga Soca.
PM Gonsalves said: “This thematic emphasis is apt given the extraordinary challenges of the past two and a half years consequent upon the COVID-19 pandemic of March 2020 and continuing, the volcanic eruptions of April 2021, Hurricane Elsa of July 2, 2021, and the knock-on effects of the continuing and exacerbated global turmoil, inclusive of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine initiated on February 24, 2022.
“Objective assessments of the responses by the government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to these extreme challenges have concluded that commendations are in order.”
Extending her congratulations, CARICOM (Caribbean Community) Secretary-General, Dr. Carla Barnett, said: “We join in celebrating St. Vincent and the Grenadines under the most apt theme of ‘Our Resilience, Our Fortitude, Our People’. All three elements have enabled the country to emerge triumphantly from the perils posed by the recent volcanic eruption. This was further evidence of the strength of character of a people who have made valuable contributions in a wide range of areas globally.”
With its 369 square kilometres territory consists of the main island of Saint Vincent and two-thirds of the northern part of the Grenadines – a chain of 32 smaller islands - centuries of possession of the islands was disputed by the British, French and Spanish and strongly resisted by the Caribs. Britain won the European rights to the islands under the Treaty of Versailles in 1783, with a plantation economy based on sugar and slave trading emerging in the 19th century.
The annual Madongo festival returns this year and will be held on Independence Day, October 27, 2022. Invest SVG will host their Everything Vincy Expo from October 24 to October 28.
