A bipartisan group of parliamentarians yesterday (June 22) came together to display a Windrush Flag at the front of Gordon House in Kingston, in recognition of the 73rd anniversary of the arrival of the ship, MV Empire Windrush in the United Kingdom (UK).

The ship, which arrived on June 22, 1948, transported Jamaican and other Caribbean migrants to the UK to fill demands for labour after World War II.

After the display of the flag, donated by the brother of Opposition spokesman on health Dr Morais Guy, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange, delivered a statement in Parliament to mark the anniversary.

Grange’s statement followed a display of the Windrush Flag by a bi-partisan group of parliamentarians at the front of Gordon House. The group included Deputy Prime Minister Dr Horace Chang, Grange, Leader of Opposition Business, Anthony Hilton and Dr Morais Guy, opposition spokesman on health.

The Windrush Flag was donated by Guy’s brother, who is a director of Windrush Generations UK.

With the importance of the Windrush Generation previously highlighted by the Ministry of Culture in August 2019, Grange said: “At that time, I unveiled a mural exhibition at the departure lounge at the Norman Manley International
Airport, in collaboration with the British Council, to pay tribute to the Windrush Generation.”

She added: “I wanted us to always remember the harsh transatlantic journey, the dramatic change in weather conditions from a tropical climate, and the battle with racism that our migrants had to endure. We should all honour them, as they faced these challenges head-on, and in true Jamaican and Caribbean style they overcame them.”

That exhibition of painted panels, which can be moved from place to place, featured works by both British and Jamaican artists.

CREATIVE GENIUS OF JAMAICAN PEOPLE

Grange said that included in the exhibition were works of art by Honey Williams from the United Kingdom, and
Jamaicans Rosemarie Chung, Sheldon Blake, Tiana Anglin, Kirk Cockburn and Jamila Cooper.

“This was my strategy to highlight the creative genius of our people, which has been passed on down through to the descendants of the Windrush migrants. Honey Williams is a Briton whose roots are in the Windrush generation.”

The events at Gordon House complemented those staged at town halls throughout England, the headquarters of the Home Office, the Network Rail in 20 stations across the UK, and the Houses of Parliament at Westminster Palace, in either displaying or unfurling the Windrush Flag.”

Grange said the Windrush Flag displayed at Gordon House would be passed on to the National Library of Jamaica, so that it can form part of the National Collection, “and be a source of inspiration for generations yet unborn”.