By Claudia Gardener, Gleaner WriterWESTERN BUREAU:
PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson, arguably Hanover's most revered son, will be the patron at today's official launch of the Hanover Homecoming Foundation (HHF), which is slated to take place at the historic Fort Charlotte in Lucea, starting at 3:00 p.m.
The homecoming celebrations, which is expected to span one year, will be staged under the theme, "Hanover Past Present and Future focusing on her people, places and pleasures."
It will entail a wide range of social and cultural activities all over the parish, which is also the birthplace of Jamaica's first Prime Minister, Sir Alexander Bustamante.
According to Chairman of the HHF Dawn Skeete, the foundation, which is a non-profit non-govern-ment organisation, whose founding members are expatriates and the children of expatriates from Hanover, has making a positive contribution toward the improvement of the social and economic conditions as its primary mission.
EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES
"We are focusing on expanding educational opportunities for children and youths, including education for environmental and developmental responsibility," said Mrs. Skeete. "We are striving to ensure universal access to basic education, and to achieve primary education for girls and boys of primary school age through formal schooling or non-formal education." Mrs. Skeete said the HHF is committed to building capacity in Hanover, stating that the objective is to initiate a reaction to succeed under different conditions by providing the tools and mentoring, as Hanover progresses. She said the ultimate goal is to provoke a significant change in the social and economic infrastructure of Hanover and make the parish globally competitive.
The Hanover Homecoming activities will involve a wide cross of organisations within the parish and will showcase sporting events, art and culture, the history of the parish, economic development, and as well as encourage investment within the parish. The town of Lucea
will come in for particular attention, given its unique position in the parish and its historical significance.
In addition to Prime Minister Patterson, Hanover's Custos, the honourable Mavis Whitter-King; Lucea's Mayor Lester Crooks, Members of Parliament Ralston Anson and Barrington Gray, and JLP Deputy Leader Edmond Bartlett, will also be on hand to endorse today's launch.
The foundation has launched a website - www.hanoverjamaica.org which provides information for persons who wish to participate in the 2004 Homecoming and other components of the Homecoming Foundation. The high-point of the year's celebration is expected to be seven days of continuous celebrations next December.
