Bjorn Burke, Staff Reporter

Happiness and unity best described the setting on the outskirts of the National Heroes Park in Kingston yesterday, as several converged to share in the anticipation of catching a glimpse of United States President Barack Obama.

A barricaded section of East Street, downtown Kingston, became a spectator area for many. When THE WEEKEND STAR arrived at a barricaded area about 4 p.m., onlookers young and old made their way to prominent vantage points from which they attempted to view the president's motorcade. The people waited to see the president on his way from the Town Hall youth meeting held at the University of the West Indies (UWI).

"Oh my God, what brought me here is a long, long line of history," said one overjoyed woman who asked to be referred to only as Miss Brown. She shared that she was visiting from London, England, and seized the opportunity to come out in support of the world leader.

The woman, who is originally from St Ann's Bay, St Ann, likened President Obama to Marcus Garvey - Jamaica's first National Hero.

"This is history because I'm sure that my grandfather Marcus, put him there. We put him there, Jamaicans put him there," she said.

Another spectator, a woman who wished to remain unnamed, was accompanied by her eight-year-old granddaughter. She shared her experience with THE WEEKEND STAR.

"It's a historic moment for us. In Jamaica, we tend not to respect our leaders, but you see the respect they (Americans) have for safety and security? We need to foster some of that," she said.

The woman explained that she wittingly brought her granddaughter along.

"She is aware [of what is going on] because we talk to her about it, because we want her to be aware of the importance that it is a historic moment that she might be questioned about in the future," she said.

Upon the arrival of the president at the National Heroes Park, at approximately 4:45 p.m., persons in the crowd cheered and waved as others scrambled to higher ground for a brief look.

President Obama laid a wreath at the cenotaph - a prominent war memorial - honouring Jamaicans killed in combat during World War I and World War II.

Mr Obama left Jamaica for Panama to attend the Summit of the Americas, where he is expected to meet with Cuba's President Raul Castro.