Bob Marley Day Awards In Toronto
One Love. For One Day. In Toronto
By Stephen Weir
for the Caribbean Camera
For the 27th year
in a row, the City has declared February 6th as Bob Marley Day in Toronto. In a special ceremony a proclamation from
Mayor John Tory was read out, Bob Marley Day Awards were presented to community
leaders and a Jamaican surfing reggae star performed to a small group of Marley
supporters.
Bob Marley Day
began in 1991 with the first proclamation made by the former mayor of Toronto,
Mayor Art Eggleton. This year, Mayor Tory signed the Bob Marley proclamation
and had councillor Michael Thompson read it out at the Friday noon hour award
ceremony and mini reggae concert.
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Pictured left: Jamaica reggae star and
owner of the island's surf club, Billy Mystic performed at the City Of
Toronto's Bob Marley Day proclamation ceremony. On Friday at noon the city
proclaimed February 6 as Bob Marley Day in the city.. Organizer Courtney Betty
(l), Billy Mystic and councillor Michael Thompson.
“This day is not
only a day to celebrate a great man but also a day to recognize our own modern
day greats ... individuals in our city who embody the spirit of the man we
celebrate, both personally and professionally in our communities and beyond,”
said lawyer Courtney Betty, the man behind the Bob Marley Day Awards.
A radio station
pioneer and a Jane Finch activist received Bob Marley Lifetime Achievement
Awards. Winston LaRose was recognized for his decades of community work in the
Jane Finch Corridor.
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| Winston LaRose at the podium |
Fitzroy Gordon,
the founder of radio station G 98.7 was also named to receive the Bob Marley
Day 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award. However, Mr. Gordon was unable to attend
the Friday, Toronto City Hall Bob Marley Awards event and concert. Accepting
the award on his behalf was station personality Delroy G the host of the
weekend Delroy G Showcase Radio Show.
Also receiving Bob
Marley Awards were: Charles DeBow VP Global Development & Programs at the
Washington DC based National Black Chamber of Commerce, dancer/student Jia
Betty, President of the Black Business and Professional Association Nadine
Spencer, NFL’s Marques Colston, U of T professor Dr. Joel Moody and Cheryl
Lewis, Executive Director at African Canadian Christian Network.
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| Delroy G (l) accepts for Fitzroy Gordon. Courtney Betty presents |
Reggae recording artist and owner of Jamaica's only surf club, Billy Mystic,
flew up from Kingston to take part in Toronto’s event. Kingston-born vocalist,
guitarist, and songwriter Billy "Mystic" Wilmot is the leader of the Mystic Revealers. He is also founder of the Jamaican Surfing
Association and established the Makka Pro tournament, Jamaica's first
international surfing competition.
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