JAMAICANS IN DIASPORA PLANNING TO ATTEND INAUGURATION FOR BARACK

With the USA elections now behind us, attention has now turn to the next big shindig, the presidential inauguration for Barack Obama which takes place on January 20, 2009 in Washington DC. President-elect Obama and Vice-President-elect Joe Biden will take the oath of office on the steps of the Capitol at a swearing-in function, followed by a parade on Pennsylvania Avenue in the afternoon.

The inauguration is expected to draw huge crowds to the nation's capital. In fact, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies disclosed that over 240,000 tickets for seats at the swearing-in ceremony will be handed out and that does not include the thousands who will journey to the capital just to say they were there. Thousands of Jamaican nationals in the Diaspora, who solidly supported Barack, will journey from Florida, California, New Jersey, Philly and even Canada to be in on the action. According to Esroy Bernard, who will make the trip with at least 5 of his friends said, "This is a once in a lifetime event. I want to represent myself, my family and all friends who are unable to attend. I hope to sit back in my rocking chair one day and proudly tell my grandchildren of the political campaign and inauguration of Barrack Obama, the first Black man to be the president of the United States of America. Even if I can't get on the mall, I want to be able 'represent' to say that I was there. After 400 years of slavery, reconstruction, the great depression, world war, civil rights era…enter the stalwart Barack Obama. He, against all odds, defeated the establishment candidate Hillary Clinton and then Republican, John McCain to become the leader of the free world"

One challenge visitors to DC will face is finding hotel accommodations. Checks with several hotel in the area reveal that a few rooms are still available in Washington, DC however many properties require a 3-to 4-night minimum stay and pre-payment during this time period. Rooms are priced from US$300 to US$1,000 per night. Some residents, seeking to capitalized on the opportunity to make quick cash, have indicated their willingness to rent a room for one or two nights if the deal is right. The presidential inauguration occurs every four years and invites a spectacular fanfare. The theme for the 2009 inauguration is "A New Birth of Freedom," which honors the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth.