It was a joy for me to read about the emancipation activities organized by Diamonites Community Organization in Diamond Village on the Windward part of SVG.
These activities included the annual Freedom Watch with the theme “Rising From Mental Slavery”, and a children’s camp with the theme “Following Their Footprints: Tracing Our History”. {{more}}Diamond Village seems to be one of the few communities in SVG that seriously answered the call to celebrate our emancipation.
I think I heard the Minister of Culture Rene Baptiste say that the annual Freedom Watch in Diamond should be an integral part of the national emancipation celebrations. Good idea Minister; I urge you to ensure this happens.
I am not surprised that Diamond has answered the call. That village has a long history marked by its progressive approach to development.
Several institutions have been planted in that village which provided a developmental base for Vincentians in that area and others throughout SVG.
Examples include the Walter Rodney Centre (WTC), ARWEE, Diamonites Community Organization and Earlene Horne Foundation.
In addition to these institutions, Diamond has been the home of community-builders such as Oscar Allen, Simeon Greene, Earlene Horne, Kayamba Horne, Solomon Butler, Otto Sam, Denniston Douglas and many others.
I hope that Diamonites Community Organization and Earlene Horne Foundation continue to build on the progressive history of Diamond Village. It is my wish also that other communities will consider the emancipation experience of Diamonites during the month of August, and maybe in the future other communities should embark on their own activities to mark this significant event and process.
The experience of Diamonites Community Organization could serve as a guide to organizing emancipation activities in other villages in the years ahead.

Maxwell Haywood