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MARIGOT--The 167th anniversary of the abolition of slavery will be celebrated this coming Wednesday at the Agrément roundabout, the site of the Lady Liberty statue, from 9:00am to 10:30am.
The Emancipation celebration this year will focus on the 226-year-old Hameau du Pont Bridge.
"The bridge was built back in 1789 during the evil period of slavery and the ancestors were never paid or recognised for their labour," noted President of Conscious Lyrics Foundation, Shujah Reiph.
The bridge was built on the orders of Jean Sebastien de Durat who also built Fort Louis and the old jail. The bridge gave access to people and horses to cross the river at a time when Galis Bay was mostly a pond.
In preparation for Wednesday's celebration a clean-up campaign was held on Sunday where a number of volunteers showed up to assist. They included businessman Michael Ferrier, political leader Louis Mussington and radio personality Jacques Billy "D" Hamlet.
Wednesday's programme will have speeches from President of the Collectivité Aline Hanson, Territorial Councillor for Culture Rollande Questel, and a keynote address by Claudia January who is an educator and President of the St. Martin Evolution Toastmasters Club.
There will be poetry readings, a drum tribute by master drummer Helier Coquillas and a performance by the Bethel Methodist Church Choir from Colombier.
The theme for the celebration organised by Conscious Lyrics Foundation and SOS Radio is "Tribute to the ancestor builders of the Hameau du Pont Bridge."
A portion of the Rue de Hollande road will be closed between the Artsen gas station and the Agrément roundabout. Traffic will be diverted during this time.
