Below is the full text of former Prime Minister Bruce Golding’s address to the Jamaica 64th Independence Gala hosted by Team Jamaica Bickle in Philadelphia on August 1, 2026.

Thank you so much for your warm and gracious welcome. I haven’t been to Philly in a long, long time and it is so delightful to be here today and to be here among family. The outstanding contributions you make here and your unbreakable ties back home make us extremely proud.

When Irwine invited me, one of the first questions I asked him was “How are the Jamaicans there doing?” and he said “They’re doing well despite the challenges and the odds”. I’m going to speak to some of that this evening because we back home are facing some of those same challenges and odds but, as Irwine said, we are resilient – we’re little but we tallawah; we are nice but we are tough.