2018 Africa Day Message by His Worshipthe Mayor of Kingston
Senator, Councillor Delroy H. Williams
"Winning the fight against corruption. A sustainable path to Africa’s transformation"
As we celebrate the historic "Africa Day" today on May 25, it is only fitting that we pause to salute the courage and bravery of those who fought and sacrificed to free Africa from under- development and to assert themselves as liberated individual states.
Africa has come a long way from those days of plunder and genocide. Today, most stand as proud countries with a flag reflecting the aspirations of their people for peace and prosperity.
Africa is recording enviable rates of economic growth, improved health and living standards and massive increased access to education.
When Emperor Haile Selassie declared in Addis Abba at the inaugural meeting of the Organisation of African Unity in May 1963 “May this convention of Union last 1,000 years”, he was anticipating the continued growth and development of Africa, as it threw off the colonial shackles and reasserted its glorious history as the birthplace of civilization.
Today, most African states are truly independent and are forging their own paths to progress. However, new enemies have emerged in the insidious form of corruption, which acts to retard the progress of some of these nations.
Unfortunately, some of the new leaders and their allies in industry, mining, services and commerce, have conspired to take an unfairly large slice of the national pie baked by the hard labour of their fellow citizens. This is untenable and must be resisted, as this year’s theme “Winning the fight against corruption. A sustainable path to Africa’s transformation” asserts.
Leading global economic watchers including the IMF and World Bank agree that growth rates above 3 per cent per annum in African countries will continue, revolving around improving commodity prices, investment in utilities, services like banking and implementing economic reforms.
However, similar to Jamaica, the continued successes will require fiscal discipline and a reduction in the misuse of national resources by those best placed to do so.
Africa is seen by leading economists as the second fastest growing region in the world but they caution that for this to continue there must be discipline, reduced corruption and an adherence to reforms. The border and civil wars that once plagued the continent have declined rapidly, and this also augurs well for continued growth and development.
No doubt these are lessons for Jamaica with our umbilical link to the African continent. As we aspire to and make successes in growing our own economy, we must make inroads against corruption and crime which is a form of corruption.
On behalf of the proud citizens of Kingston, I salute Africa Day and look forward to increasing the bonds of unity and love between the City of Kingston in particular and the continent of Africa. Africa is in our blood, it is felt in the beat of our music, the colour and swagger in our dance, how we walk and talk.
Long live the unity of Africa, long live Africa Day!