Kingston, 7 August 2019 – The Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport says that, “Fedrick Dacres continues Jamaica’s rise in men’s discus by breaking the record he set at the Pan Am Games in defending his title.”

“Fedrick has been enjoying a fantastic run of throwing over these past several months as he followed up his gold medal performance at the Commonwealth Games last year with this record at the Pan Am Games.

“It was good that Traves Smikle took the silver, making it a Jamaica one-two in the men’s discus at the Pan Am Games, the same as it was at the Commonwealth Games.

“Wonderful too that Elaine Thompson won gold, continuing the form she has been enjoying in the short sprint and that this was complemented by Natoya Goule copping the gold medal in the women’s 800 meters.”

The Sport Minister also commended Tajay Gayle for his silver medal in the men’s long jump and Tissanna Hickling for her bronze medal in the women’s long jump.

“Wonderful. Altogether, these have added tremendously to our Independence celebrations”, Miss Grange said.

END

Kingston, 2 August 2019 – The Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport has congratulated Yona Knight Wisdom for creating history for Jamaica by winning the country’s first ever medal in the sport of diving at the Pan Am Games.

Knight Wisdom won silver in the men's 1M Springboard competition at the Games in Lima, Peru, yesterday, August 1.

Minister Grange said, “Once again, Jamaica has much to celebrate in sport and our achievements outside of track and field continues to be encouraging.

“Yona himself said his silver medal was a fitting gift for Jamaica on Emancipation Day and on behalf of the nation I wish to thank him for his historic performance.
“Let us wish him further success as he competes in the 3M Springboard tomorrow, August 3, where a victory would earn him automatic qualification to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” the Sport Minister concluded.

END

Kingston, 27 July 2019 - Raldene ‘Loaded Eagle’ Dyer’ is the 2019 Jamaica Festival Song Winner.

His winning song, Big Up Jamaica, will become the soundtrack for Jamaica’s 57th Anniversary of Independence, which is being celebrated under the theme One Nation, One People.

Dyer took home the coveted title at the 2019 Jamaica Festival Song Competition’s free Grand Final concert which was held on Saturday at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in Kingston.

In addition to winning the competition and its respective $1 million cash award, Dyer, took home the award for Writer of the Winning Song, which also carried $1 million cash award, as well as the sectional prizes for Best Performance and Best Vocalist, which carry a cash award of $300 000 each.

Second place in the competition and its respective cash award of $400 000 went to Alero ‘Alley Bless’ Perrier with Her song Queen Jamaica.

While third place and it’s respective cash award of $250 000 went to Jerome ‘Jay Smith’ Smith for his song Embassy Appointment, which also saw him receiving the sectional award for Most Popular on Social Media, and its respective cash award of $300 000.

Beginning at 8:00 pm, the Grand Final concert saw all 11 of the competition’s finalists going head to head in a battle of performances.

The other finalists who competed for the title were: Edwin Meyers with Piece A Jamaica, Jason ‘Iya Concord’ Wright with Hero Fight; Percival “Dharma” Lord with A Jamaica We Love; Escarpment Road New Testament Church of God Choir with Jamaica Bless; Nickoy ‘Shawn-D’ Green with Sweet Jamaica; Nester ‘Humility’ Chung with Battlefield; Vernon ‘Ramize’ Smith with Jamaica Fi Life; and Meckedah ‘McKada’ Henry with Love for Jamaica.

END 

ABOUT THE WINNER:
Raldene ‘Loaded Eagle’ Dyer
Reggae and Dancehall artiste Raldene ‘Loaded Eagle’ Dyer became interested in the music industry younger than most. Born in Steer Town, St. Ann, Dyer’s love for music first sparked when he witnessed his mother singing on the church choir. Now an energetic performer, Dyer is a seasoned artiste in the dancehall arena as both vocalist and professional dancer. In 1998, Dyer, then a member of Cosby Kids, entered the JCDC Performing Arts National Finals in the area of Dance, placing first in their class. Loaded Eagle began his solo recording career in 2005 with “Nowadays” a local hit that won him much notoriety in St. Ann. He is currently collaborating with producer Lenworth “Jupiter Phillips” Phillpots, with whom he teamed up for his festival song entry “Big Up Jamaica”.


A signature programme of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), an Agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Jamaica Festival Song Competition started in 1966, and continues to serve as a musical platform for cultural exposition and for entrants to make an indelible mark on Jamaica and the world. The competition boasts past winners like Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Decker, Eric Donaldson, Roy Rayon, Heather Grant and Stanley Beckford.

The 2019 Jamaica Festival Song Competition is sponsored by Tastee, Geoland, Lasco Money, JF MILLS, Shirley Biscuits, Shades of Africa, and Jamaica Corporate Credit Union League (JCCUL).

Kingston, 24 July 2019 (JIS): Jamaica is to celebrate the centenary of Louise Bennett-Coverley (Miss Lou) over a period of 100 days, with special activities across the country.

These will be organised by various agencies, including the National Library of Jamaica, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) and the Bureau of Gender Affairs.

This was disclosed by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, during her contribution to the 2019/20 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on July 23.

“This year, on September 7, we will celebrate the centenary of our beloved Miss Lou. [She] will be celebrated as social commentator, poet and advocate, and in particular, as chief exponent and proponent of the Jamaican language,” Ms. Grange said.

She also noted that in a tribute to Miss Lou, the Ministry has engaged the University of the West Indies to use the celebration of her life as the catalyst of a national dialogue on the status of the Jamaican patois.

“This will have implication for how patois is positioned in social and official discourse,” Ms. Grange said.

Additionally, the Minister announced that March 21 is to be celebrated each year as National Poetry Day.

She also thanked Jamaica’s National Poet Laureate, Dr. Lorna Goodison, for her work in the promotion of poetry.

END

Kingston, 18 July 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has expressed deep sadness at the passing of the Jamaican singer Pat Kelly.

Minister’s Statement follows:

“I feel a deep sense of personal loss at the passing of Pat Kelly. He and I go back a long way to our days at Chocomo Lawn, a place where so many of our artistes and musicians got their start, thanks to Edward Seaga.

I was the president of the Victor’s Youth Club at Chocomo Lawn and Pat was a member. It was there that he began developing his talent which has seen him become a great Jamaican singer and outstanding audio engineer.

I have been very proud of his success with The Techniques and in his solo career; and satisfied with his contribution to our music.

I offer sincerest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues at this time.”

END

Kingston, 11 July 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has moved to address issues regarding the National Senior Women’s Football Team, the Reggae Girlz.

Specifically, the Minister Grange has taken steps to repair the relationship between the Jamaica Football Federation and Cedella Marley, who backed the Reggae Girlz in the successful qualification campaign for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Following dialogue with both sides, Minister Grange released the following statement:

“As Minister, I want the best environment for our Reggae Gilz and I’m aware of certain issues.

I’ve spoken to both Cedella Marley and the President of the JFF [Michael Ricketts] and they both have certain concerns.

I’m going to use my best efforts to address those [issues] and to see how we can resolve the differences because I want to ensure that the Reggae Girlz can have the best environment within which to train so that they can represent Jamaica.”

END

Kingston 28 June 2019 - The Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport has described as “outstanding” the performance of Joydane White and Nyouka Baugh who have won Jamaica’s first medals at the Central American and Caribbean Confederation Artistic Swimming Championship taking place in Barbados.

White, who won the silver medal in the 12 and Under Solo Routine, is the youngest member on the Jamaica team. Baugh, who is 16, won silver in the Junior Solo Technical Routine.

The Sport Minister said White and Baugh are among the sports women and sports men representing Jamaica’s increasing prominence in sporting disciplines outside of the track. “They show that we are making real gains in Artistic Swimming and we should all laud them and encourage them to strive for even higher heights in the sport.

“I wish also to commend the coaches, the Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) and the sponsors whose support allowed Jamaica to participate in the Central American and Caribbean Confederation Artistic Swimming Championship.”

White and Baugh will join the Jamaican contingent in the People’s Republic of China under the Jamaica-China Technical Cooperation Project on Sport Coaching.

Kingston 27 June 2019 - Jamaica’s 57th anniversary of Independence is to be celebrated under the theme “One Nation, One People.”

This has been disclosed by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange.

Minister Grange said the theme was chosen because it speaks to a very important area of focus on which the nation must pay attention:

“We are at a very critical time in our life as a nation. We are witnessing the transition from one generation to the next and I believe that unity has to be a very important ingredient in the process to help us to solidify the gains we have made so far and build on them for the future.”

Ms. Grange said that while the country continues to celebrate the International Decade for People of African Ancestry, it is very important in the wider Jamaican context to observe the tenets of the national motto, ‘Out of Many, One People’.

“We must always be reminded that this nation is a melting pot of cultures, built by people from many different ancestries. It is remarkable what we have been able to achieve by working together and it is that spirit of unity that we want to engender as we celebrate our Independence and look to the future,” she added.

Minister Grange said that Jamaicans at home and abroad should look forward to a very spirited Independence celebration as the Ministry is working hard to make sure that events such as the Jamaica Festival Song Competition, the Jamaica Festival Queen Competition, the Jamaica Gospel Song Competition and the Grand Gala are spectacles to be remembered.

“This year we will welcome various Heads of Government for Independence and we intend to display the best of Jamaica as the eyes of the world will be upon us. We will be streaming most of our activities to the Diaspora so that everyone feels a part of the Jamaica 57 celebrations. We are well advanced in our planning and things have been going well,” she said.

The Jamaica Festival Song Grand Final will be held on July 27, at the National Arena in Kingston, with the Emancipation Jubilee slated for July 31, at Seville in St. Ann. The National Arena will also host the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Grand Coronation on Emancipation Day, August 1, the World Reggae Dance Championship Grand Final on August 2, Mello-Go-Roun on August 3, the Jamaica Gospel Song Grand Final on August 4 and the Pop and Variety Grand Final on August 5. Grand Gala will be held on Independence Day, August 6 at the National Stadium.

For more information on the Independence celebrations, persons may contact the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission at: the JCDC Head Office at 3-5 Phoenix Avenue in Kingston Tel: (876) 926-5726-9, or on the JCDC’s website www.jcdc.gov.jm.

Kingston 26 June 2019 – The Minister of the Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange says she’s seen major improvements in the performance of local sports people who have participated in first year of the sports cooperation agreement with the People’s Republic of China.

Minister Grange signed the agreement last year, under which more than 400 Jamaican sportspeople in seven disciplines will receive specialised training in China over three years.

The first batch of 138 athletes and coaches completed a 60-day training programme in September 2018.

Referring to early signs of the success of the project, Minister Grange said:
“Five of the [women’s] footballers trained have matriculated to the Under-20 national programme. Thalia Richardson from badminton has advanced to become the national female champion. It has also been shown that the times and techniques of the swimmers have improved since the training they have received through the project. We have seen that the gymnasts have shown great improvement performing in regional competitions.

“So the Report Card on the Jamaica/China Technical Cooperation Project on Sport Coaching so far is most satisfying…"

Minister Grange was speaking at the official send-off for the second batch of 138 athletes and coaches who will begin travelling on Saturday to specialised training facilities across China.

The schedule of departures is as follows:
29 June - Women’s Football
30 June - Women’s Volleyball
2 July - Gymnastics
3 July - Women’s Basketball
6 July - Swimming and Synchronised Swimming
7 July - Badminton

Minister Grange urged the athletes and coaches to make the most of this training opportunity. “Get as much as you can as you hone your skills. I know you will never be the same after China. You will be better for it; Jamaica will be better for it.”

Minister Grange thanked the Government of the People’s Republic of China for providing training and equipment under the agreement.

The Minister also revealed that on the recommendation of the Chinese coaches, the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport has acquired the services of a personal trainer to do strength training work among the athletes. The Ministry is also facilitating the use of a gym at no cost to the athletes or their national federations.

The official send-off for the athletes was attended by the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Jamaica, His Excellency Tian Qi. Minister Grange especially acknowledged the efforts of Ambassador Qi, the Chinese Embassy and the China Sport International Company (the state-owned sports cooperation agency) for facilitating the project.

END

Kingston 19 June 2019 (JIS) - The Government will continue to pursue strategic policies and initiatives geared towards advancing the cultural and creative industries for the benefit of all Jamaicans.

This was stated by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, while addressing a session of the eighth Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston today (June 19).

“Recently, we got the green light to begin operationalising the National Cultural and Creative Industries Council. It represents a next step in providing meaningful support to our creatives, to ensure that they earn from their creations and abilities. The Council will be called Jamaica Creative or Creative Jamaica,” she said.

Miss Grange informed that the Council has been charged with the establishment of a digital distribution and promotion platform for Jamaican music, video and fashion; the establishment of a Kingston Creative Media Village for increased visibility and accessibility of creative practitioners; the establishment of the Creative Skills Council, and the establishment of a Culture and Creative Industries Fund for Jamaica.

The Minister said the recent successful nomination of the Reggae Music of Jamaica to the intangible cultural heritage list of UNESCO, the successful nomination of the Blue and John Crow Mountains to the World Heritage list and the current bid for Port Royal to be inscribed on the World Heritage list should be seen as the Government facilitating and creating opportunities for the people to lift themselves using cultural and physical assets.

She noted that the Government has been investing in preparing Jamaicans to benefit from the economic activities that will come with the inscriptions, adding that several economic opportunity workshops are being staged in communities close to a designated, nominated or soon to be nominated site for world heritage list inscription.

The Minister said the island’s creative and athletic talents have done well on the world stage, and that it is a priority of the Government to ensure that earnings are realised.

Ms. Grange said many Jamaicans have been able to use the cultural and creative industries to move from poverty to prosperity.
The cultural and creative industries, also known as the ‘orange economy’, include activities such as architecture, audiovisual arts, digital services, fashion, graphic and industrial design, handicrafts, music and software.

In 2012, the global income generated from the orange economy was estimated at US$547 billion.

The Diaspora Conference is being held from June 16 to 20, under the theme, ‘Jamaica and the Diaspora: Pathways for Sustainable Development’.