parking lot. He said things seemed to have gone off track, as efforts to improve the
event by expanding it to attract more Jamaicans and many others to enjoy the
cultural experience resulted in a backlash, whereby the Rigg family was unduly
stressed in the community due to their partnering with him, a Bahamian American,
on the event. At the end of the day, City administration and elected officials always
preached it was a unified Lauderhill, a unified community, and a unified
Commission, as evidenced even by the variety of presentations made earlier in the
present meeting; it was all about everyone in the City of Lauderhill coming together
for one purpose, one cause. He apologized to the Riggs, on behalf of the
Commission, for the backlash they suffered over the last few weeks due to their
partnering with him on the event, most of which came from the Jamaican
community, and he applauded the Riggs for their steadfastness. Commissioner L.
Martin stated his intent in bringing the subject matter before the Commission was to
ask all his colleagues to join him in supporting the Rigg event to celebrate Jamaican
Independence, putting the faces of all members of the Commission on the event
flyer, so everyone knew it was an event supported by the Commission as a group.
He invited everyone to attend on August 6, and join in the celebration and family day
to accomplish what the Riggs wished it to be, a unifying force in the City of
Lauderhill. It was never about him, as he was just helping to promote what the Rigg
family sought to accomplish. He hoped the City would sponsor the 2024 event to
avoid a repeat of the subject situation.
Commissioner Dunn asked members of the Rigg family to speak about the
upcoming event for the benefit of anyone in the public unfamiliar with the event.
Michael Rigg remarked the Jamaican Independence event came into being to raise
awareness about autism, as his grandson was autistic.
Peggy Nisbett-Rigg noted Michael and Collin Rigg and she were a part of Big Rigg
Production, and they were now before the Commission because they would be
hosting their Jamaican Independence Celebration on August 6, along with raising
awareness on the benefits of early intervention with autistic children. There were
many people in the Caribbean community who were unaware there were programs
and organizations they could reach out to for help with autistic children and others
in need. She hoped the Commission could find a way to vote to sponsor the event
in 2024, so it could become more of a community event, rather than them having to
ask individual members of the Commission or others to help fund the event. It was
about bringing the Lauderhill community together; she was from St. Kitts, while her
husband was Jamaican, so the event was to bring everyone together; they were
blessed with four children, two of whom served in the U.S. Military, so everyone
should stand together, Lauderhill strong, America strong. She restated the Sunday,
August 6, 2023, event would be 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and everyone was invited
to attend the family funday, with the focus of bringing awareness to autistic children
and early intervention.
Collin Rigg echoed thanks to the City Commission and staff for their support, as
Lauderhill was, and would always be their community; they moved to the City on
July 5, 1980, and his sister still lived in the same house. Even though the August 6
event was to celebrate Jamaican Independence, he considered Lauderhill to be the
melting pot of South Florida, where every culture could be found, so he wished to
invite everyone in the Lauderhill community to attend, experience, and enjoy the
Jamaican culture.
Commissioner Dunn asked where residents could get tickets to the event when
