- Title: THE GAMBIA: FIRST PARLIAMENT OPENED N BATHURST BY DUKE OF KENT.
- Date: 20th February 1965
- Summary: GOVERNOR-GENERAL, SIR JOHN PAUL, OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT BUILDING; GUARD OF HONOUR; DUKE AND DUCHESS OF KENT ARRIVING; INTERIOR OF PARLIAMENT; DUKE ON THRONE HANDING COPY OF THE SPEECH TO THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. DAVID JAWARA; DUKE AND DUCHESS LEAVING; INDEPENDENCE DRIVE; PRIME MINISTER UNVEILING PLAQUE AND CUTTING RIBBON TO OPEN THE DRIVE. Initials RM/S/MR/JM Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 7th March 1965 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BATHURST, THE GAMBIA
- Country: Gambia
- Reuters ID: LVADIZDFSBXPWY8C5BC3Y4WFRG3A
- Story Text: THE FIRST PARLIAMENT OF BRITAIN'S LATEST DEPENDENCY TO ACHIEVE INDEPENDENCE, THE GAMBIA, WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED IN BATHURST YESTERDAY (FRIDAY) BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF QUEEN ELIZABETH,
THE DUKE OF KENT. THE GAMBIA BECAME A SOVEREIGN STATE WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH IN AN OPEN-AIR CEREMONY IN BATHURST THE PREVIOUS DAY.
WHEN THE DUKE OF KENT ARRIVED TO OPEN THE GAMBIA'S FIRST PARLIAMENT, HE WAS RECEIVED BY A GUARD OF HONOUR IN THE FORECOURT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL, SIR JOHN PAUL, WAS ONE OF THOSE PRESENT TO MEET THE DUKE AND DUCHESS.
INSIDE THE HOUSE, THE DUKE READ THE SPEECH FROM THE THRONE, AS THE QUEEN'S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE, DECLARING THE PARLIAMENT OPENED. HE THEN HANDED THE COPY OF THE SPEECH TO THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. DAVID JAWARA. THE PRIME MINISTER THEN DELIVERED AN ADDRESS OF THANKS AND THE DUKE AND DUCHESS LEO A PROCESSION OUT OF THE HOUSE.
SHORTLY AFTER THE OPENING CEREMONY, MR. JAWARA AND OTHER MINISTERS TOOK PART IN A MOTOR DRIVE ALONG THE CLIFTON ROAD, WHERE MR. JAWARA UNVEILED A PLAQUE RENAMING THE ROAD "INDEPENDENCE DRIVE." THE PRIME MINISTER ALSO CUT A RIBBON ACROSS THE ROAD AND THEN TOOK PART IN A MOTOR PROCESSION ALONE "INDEPENDENCE DRIVE" -- THE FINAL EVENT IN THE GAMBIA'S INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS.
THE GAMBIA, WHICH HAD BEEN BRITAIN'S LAST DEPENDENCY IN WEST AFRICA, BECOMES THE NEWEST, SMALLEST AND POOREST OF THE INDEPENDENT AFRICAN STATES. BRITAIN HAS PROMISED TO CONTINUE AID TO THE TINY STATE, WHICH IS A NARROW STRIP OF SWAMP AND FOREST LAND STRETCHING 295 MILES INLAND FROM THE ATLANTIC. THE GAMBIA IS EXPECTED TO PLACE EMPHASIS IN THE FUTURE ON JOINT PROJECTS WITH SENEGAL, WHICH BORDERS IT ON 50TH SIDES.
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