the right excellent sir garfield st aubrun sobers national hero.rley, president of the senate, his honour arthur holder, speaker of the house of assembly, bishop bishopjoseph assembly, bishop bishop joseph atherley, assembly, bishop bishopjoseph atherley, distinguished guests, barbados here and wherever the technology takes us, good morning to morning agreed technology takes us, good morning agreed and join you this day in celebration of our nation, our people and the people that we now chart. on a rainsoaked night 55 years ago, the inhabitants of what had been the world's first slave society shared the mantle of colonialism to become an independent nation. vessel independent nation. vessel independent barbados weighed anchor and cast off from our colonial moorings. unable to see the future, we embarked on the journey of nationhood with no clear knowledge of our strength and cape —— capabilities or our potential as a people. some were understandably fearful of how our inexperienced crews and passengers would navigate storm tossed international wate