Port-of-Spain Replaces Cancelled Parade with Full-Day Celebration

Port-of-Spain Mayor Chinua Alleyne has announced a full-day program of activities titled ‘For the Love of Liberty’ to replace this year’s cancelled Independence Day Parade. The initiative aims to ensure children are not deprived of the opportunity to celebrate the nation’s 63rd anniversary of independence. The day begins at Nelson Mandela Park with a Children’s Fun Day featuring various activities, followed by a cultural showcase, and ends with an evening event called Pan on the Avenue. The cancellation was due to security concerns amid the country’s State of Emergency, with the government also citing savings of $2.6 million. In lieu of the parade, a National Day of Prayer and Reflection will take place.