ESC boss defends changes to Lib Day celebrations
CHANGES to the island’s Liberation Day celebrations this year have been defended.
Education, Sport & Culture said it intended that parish celebrations would benefit the older generation who lived through the Occupation and remember Liberation on 9 May 1945.
The committee has also scotched suggestions that the Town seafront will never again be closed for a big Liberation Day party.
The committee has promised that there will be the usual festivities on the five and 10-year anniversaries.
Following last year’s scaled back Covid-safe celebrations, a decision has been made to stick to that format and put the douzaines in charge of organising parish-based events, rather than a centralised party in Town.
This year’s highlight is expected to be the island-wide cavalcade, which will involve dozens of military vehicles on a tour of all parishes.
With some Town costs lost, the remaining £25,000 budget for the day will be split 10 equal ways between the parishes.
At yesterday’s Scrutiny Management public hearing, Deputy Yvonne Burford asked whether it was fair that St Peter Port would receive 12 pence per person, compared to £2.50 in Torteval.
Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen said that the parishes could add to the grant.
‘Parishes are able to look into their own funds to augment the celebrations in their own parishes, and we know that some are looking at that.’
The traditional Town events such as the wreath laying ceremony, the military parade, and the Town church service will remain on the agenda.
Fireworks will still be seen over St Peter Port in the evening.
Deputy Dudley-Owen said the aim was to improve the experience for people who might not be able to come into Town.
‘We have been concerned about the considerable expense that we pay for things like barriers.
‘Yes it’s safety for the crowds coming in, but it doesn’t add to the entertainment value of Liberation Day for the islander coming into Town.
‘We also want to be able to ensure that our older residents are equally able to enjoy the experience of Liberation Day, because of course they are the ones that have that direct experience of the Occupation and Liberation and we have just a living memory of that through them.
‘There are lot of benefits to having a centralised Town experience but there are also lots of benefits of having it decentralised in the individual parishes.’
