AUGUST 6, 1962, is a significant day in the life of the Jamaican people. It was the day the country became an independent nation, assuming full control of its affairs and the welfare of its people.
This year, Jamaica celebrates its 38th anniversary of Independence. Recently, the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) went on the streets of Kingston to ask Jamaicans: "What does Indepen-dence mean to you and what do you think is the most significant achievement of the country since Independence?"
Freedom from
oppression
"Independence, to me, means freedom from oppression... from slavery, and politically... The most significant thing we have achieved, I think, is women getting the means to be more progressive in life. That is one area that I think we have achieved something significant - we have become more educated, more business-oriented, more aware of ourselves," says Dianne Byfield, a 42-year-old businesswoman.
Fifteen-year-old Calabar High School student, Nicholas Joseph remarks: "Independence means that we are free from bondage... back then in the days we were all in bondage... Independence has freed us as black people. I think our most significant achievement is to be free and have our own rights to certain things."
Thomas Mulgrave, a 67-year-old retired police officer, says: "Independence is for our own improvement. It's coming out of a colonial system and going on our own as an independent nation, administering our own affairs... I think since then we have established some good institutions... (and) no longer look to the British system to guide and direct us."
Lilieth Davidson, 35-year-old hairdresser comments: "We have achieved a great deal in terms of people being less illiterate. A lot of people were illiterate before Independence... I think we have reached a far way. I am happy about it because my country has done a lot for me. I am proud of my country."
"The most important thing we have achieved as an Independent country is freedom of expression, democracy... However, I think the Government should play a larger role in the freedom of the Jamaican people as a whole, especially where police harassment and brutality is concerned," says Rohan Miller, a 24-year-old technician with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF).
Lucy Whyte, "an old enough" operations manager, believes that Independence means the empowerment of people. "We have come into our own as individuals, more entrepreneurship as against one thinking that you can only earn a living by being an employee... believing in ourselves that much more as against relying on outsiders... we think for ourselves... we have made gains in various sectors... the small businesses have made in-roads, there have been significant increases in non-traditional exports, had it not been for Independence we may not have gone there, we may have still been relying on Great Britain."
Sovereignty
Lee Issa, a 58-year-old businessman, thinks that "Indepen-dence means sovereignty and that we are masters of our own destiny. In terms of our achievements since independence, I believe it has been a learning curve. I think we have learnt from mistakes of the past and I think the Government has learned how to do things the efficient and effective way, so that Jamaica is poised to grow economically and I am very optimistic that through this learning curve, which has taken us 30-odd years, that we are now ready to move forward into the 21st century."
Vincent Graham, a minister of religion who is "60 odd" years old, has this to say: "Indepen-dence has done a great deal for us. What has spoiled our country is the crime and violence that came in. Independence is very meaningful. We have achieved a lot... My achievement is much more over the last 30 years than before Independence. I see... us being responsible for our own resources and destiny as one of the biggest achievements."
