Antigua and Barbuda’s 43rd Independence Day celebrations continue in Toronto

Antigua and Barbuda’s 43rd Independence Day celebrations continue in Toronto

Antigua and Barbuda’s 43rd Independence Day celebrations continue in the north with the Antigua and Barbuda Association of Toronto. The celebration gala will honour three notable nationals Mitzi Allen, Joy Lapps and Rodman George.

The gala will take place on November 9th, 2024 at the Viceroy Banquet Hall in Toronto and is hosted by the Antigua and Barbuda Association of Toronto with support from the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.

Tameka Wharton, Director of Tourism (Canada) explains that “The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority has been on a reinvigorating venture of diaspora engagement for 2024.”

She says that the upcoming Independence Gala in Toronto is “an excellent avenue to remind our people that the efforts of promoting Antigua and Barbuda can be that much stronger if the diaspora shares their talent, skills and connections across their newly found community, and tell Canadians about their homeland.”

Amongst the three honourees, is Mitzi Allen, an award-winning broadcast journalist and film and television producer, who was the first black reporter on CFTO-TV in Toronto in the 1980s.

She is the managing director of HAMA Inc. and has produced five feature films, four television series, and countless documentaries.

Joy Lapps is an internationally lauded artist and composer who is of Antiguan and Barbudan descent. She is known for using the steelpan as a tool for engagement in community building and creative expression.

She gives particularly nuanced attention to women of the Steelband movement and, in doing so, amplifies the contribution of women in every facet of her work. 

The third honour will be given to Rodman George from Barbuda, also known as Uncle Roddy. In 2005, he opened Uncle Roddy’s eco-friendly beach bar in Barbuda. Powered by solar panels, it was the first of its kind on the island.

In 2017, Hurricane Irma severely damaged Uncle Roddy’s but it has, to date, been rebuilt with a second-story dining room featuring expansive ocean views. Although Rodman is now retired, the legacy of Uncle Roddy lives on through his daughter, who manages the beach bar and Barbuda Cottages, and his son who has dominated the culinary industry in Canada.

The chair of the Antigua and Barbuda Association of Toronto, Selma Alincy, says the gala embodies the Independence theme this year, ‘From Community Collaboration to Global Gains,’ as it underscores the association’s commitment to working together, not just within our local communities but also on a global scale. She asserts that “together, we can harness our collective strength, share our resources, and inspire change that transcends borders.”

The night will be invigorated by the sounds of soca diva Claudette “CP” Peters backed by the Disturbance band, who will all journey from Antigua and Barbuda to Toronto for the event. Ticketholders will also be entered into a raffle for a complimentary stay-for-two at one of the Elite Island Resorts’ hotels in Antigua, sponsored by the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. Along with this grand prize, the ABTA supports the association with several door-prizes and memorabilia for attendees.

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