PM leads off Emancipation procession

After the drum call at 5 am at All Stars panyard on Duke Street, persons are expected to gather at the Brian Lara Promenade at 7 am. Two hours later, Manning will lead the procession up Abercromby Street, left into Park Street, then to Ariapita Avenue, left on to Fitzblackman Drive and then ending at the Hasely Crawford Stadium where there will be three sets of entertainment taking place simultaneously on three stages. Among the dignitaries expected to participate in the procession are South African High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago Faith Doreen Radebe, African Union official Dr Jinmi Addisa, Constituency for Africa in Washington member Dr Chinwa Akukwe, Senator Parker of the New York State legislature, internationally acclaimed South African singer Miriam Makeba, Culture Ministers Joan Yuille-Williams and Eddie Hart and ESC head Khafra Kambon. Performing artistes include Israel Lovell and the Garifuna International Band. At 3 pm, the famed South African singer Makeba will be presented with the Henry Sylvester Williams Award, named after the Trinidadian who organised the first pan-African conference in London in 1900.