Kingston 5 February 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has expressed sadness at the passing of the Reggae singer Joel ‘Bunny’ Brown.

During his career, which began in 1968, Brown was a member of several groups including The Wildcats, Mighty Mystics, Dynamic Vision, The Falcons and Chosen Few — with whom he recorded the hit ‘Queen Majesty’. He also backed Luther Vandross, The Blow and Lisa Fisher.

Minister Grange said:

“It is with a heavy heart that I learnt of Bunny Brown’s passing. He was an ambassador for our music for 50 years. At this time when we celebrate Reggae Month and the pioneers of our music, we must remember and honour Bunny Brown’s contribution. I convey deepest condolences to his family and friends.”

Kingston 1 February 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced financial support for local Premier League teams.

Minister Grange said she had “heard the cries of the clubs that are struggling financially and we have been able to arrange a special, one-off grant, in the sum of J$7.2 million dollars through the Sports Development Foundation to the 12 Premier League clubs.”

Each club will receive J$600,000 in total to be paid in monthly instalments of J$150,000.

In addition, the Premier League Clubs Association will receive a similar amount of J$600,000 to assist with Administrative Expenses during the season.

“The payments will begin immediately,” said Minister Grange.

“I believe that this special grant from the SDF will ease the pressure on both the clubs and the PLCA and ensure that we have a successful league season,”

added the Minister.

Kingston, February 1 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange is urging young and upcoming recording artistes to build on the legacy of pioneers such as Dennis Brown. 

The Minister said that it is important for them to do so especially in light of the recent inscription of Reggae to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. 

“I must appeal to our young people to place special emphasis on creating music at a standard that will last and that will keep the legacy of Dennis Brown and countless others going forever,” said Minister Grange. 

The Minister was speaking today at a ceremony to mark the 62^nd anniversary of the birth of the “Crown Prince of Reggae”, Dennis Brown at National Heroes Park. The occasion was also used to mark the start of Reggae Month 2019. 

“Generations change and we know the inevitability that comes with that. But we can build on what has been done over the past 50 years since Reggae Music was started.

We have the talent and the expertise and so I encourage the elders who are here today to take the youngsters under your wings. Help them to see that this Reggae Music of Jamaica is not to be taken lightly; help them understand that it has been and continues to be a powerful force for good in the world, driving economic, social and political liberation,” the Minister added. 

Minister Grange also encouraged Jamaicans to “get out” and enjoy all the planned activities for Reggae Month which include a church service (Sunday, February 3), the showing of a series of Reggae Films at Emancipation Park, a Reggae music exhibition at the African Caribbean Institute (all month-long), Concerts, the Global Reggae Conference and nightly entertainment events across the country. 

Reggae Month celebrated annually in February, is being organised jointly by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and the Ministry of Tourism.  It is being celebrated under the theme, Celebrating Reggae’s Legacy.

Kingston, January 24 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced that Jamaica will establish a National Anti-Doping Compliance Committee as part of measures to enhance the national programme to keep sports clean.

The Committee will ensure that Jamaica conforms to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s code and UNESCO’s International Convention against Doping in Sport.

“We want to ensure that our athletes are playing clean and fair,” said Minister Grange who made the announcement at a symposium organised by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission, an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport at the Jamaica Conference Centre on Thursday (January 24).

According to the Minister, the establishment of the Committee will among other things “improve information sharing, promote planning, design and delivery of joint initiatives and enhance the anti-doping programme’s impact and effectiveness.”

She said that the Committee will also ensure a more comprehensive response to the national compliance report to be submitted to UNESCO.

“I am confident that Jamaica will be ranked compliant, however, in order for Jamaica to be successful, there has to be the collaborative effort of all entities and stakeholders in the fight against doping in sport,”

Minister Grange said.

Under the International Convention against Doping in Sport Jamaica has a responsibility to report bi-annually on its efforts for a doping free environment in the country.

The National Anti-Doping Compliance Committee will include representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the private sector, tertiary institutions, law enforcement and health.

Kingston 23 January 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has welcomed the announcement of the Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Edmund Bartlett, that his Ministry is providing J$25 million towards the further development of the Jamaica Music Museum, also referred to as the Reggae Museum.

The Jamaica Music Museum, which was launched by Minister Grange and brought into operation in 2009, is a division of the Institute of Jamaica — an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

Minister Grange said the support of the Ministry of Tourism will fast track the development of the Jamaica Music Museum which is “now housed in the corridors of the Institute of Jamaica”. 

Minister Grange said:

“The inscription of the Reggae Music of Jamaica to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list makes it even more urgent for us to intensify our work on the Jamaica Music Museum as a major resource in promoting and preserving our music, and this support from Minister Bartlett will go a far way in helping us to establish, in a short period of time, a museum befitting Reggae’s global status.  This is a great example of Ministers, Ministries and Agencies working together for the benefit of the people of Jamaica.  It goes to show that when you put us [Minister Bartlett and I] together, nobody can beat us.”

Minister Bartlett said support for the further development of the Jamaica Music Museum will be provided through the Tourism Enhancement Fund.  He said the sum of J$25 million has been set aside for the further “scoping, design and the development of the concept of a physical museum… then you give us the budget for what is required for the rest of it.”

Minister Bartlett explained that the investment in the Jamaica Music Museum is part of a broader strategy to develop the Reggae product.  The strategy includes investment in the development of trails to sites that are significant in the history of the music and the use of Reggae in a new advertising campaign for the Jamaica Tourist Board.

Ministers Grange and Bartlett were speaking at the launch of Reggae Month 2019 on Sunday.

Reggae Month, celebrated annually in February, is being organised jointly by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and the Ministry of Tourism.

Kingston 21 January 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange says the Thanksgiving Service for the late Troy Caine is set for February 2, 2019.

The Minister is organising the service for Mr Caine who was a member of the Board of Management of the National Library of Jamaica, an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, at the time of his passing.

The Thanksgiving Service will be held at the Holy Cross Catholic Church, 77 Half Way Tree Road on Saturday, February 2, 2019, starting at 11:00 am.

The renowned Political Historian and Analyst died suddenly on January 10.

Kingston, January 16 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange is urging the country’s sports bodies to register their athletes with the Jamaican Athletes’ Insurance Plan.

The Jamaican Athletes’ Insurance Plan is the Government’s Group Health, Group Life and Personal Accident Plan for all eligible national athletes.

Speaking at the Opening of the upgraded Administrative Building of the Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) at Independence Park Complex today (Wednesday), Minister Grange said:

“It has been frequent that athletes with severe health problems turn to Government for help. And we have provided assistance in just about every case. But it is very troubling to realise that some of those very same athletes could have benefitted from coverage under the Jamaican Athletes’ Insurance Plan if only they were registered through their associations or federations, or had made direct contact with the Ministry to initiate the process.”

The Minister referred to the case of the boxer, Sakima Mullings, who is severely ill but is not on the Insurance Plan. Sakima was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary condition affecting the retina in his left eye, which also causes sensitivity to light.

“When I hear about cases such as Sakima’s, it pains my heart and I would like him to know that we are praying for his full recovery. More than that, already we have decided to provide Sakima with $1M to help him to meet his medical expenses. The Ministry is in close contact with the Jamaica Boxing Board of Control as we seek to find out what further assistance we could give,” Minister Grange said.

Minister Grange said that getting athletes registered with the Plan was very important, so much so that there is a full-time administrator working on the Athletes’ Insurance Plan in the Ministry.

“The Ministry has constantly called for sporting associations to join the plan to insure national athletes or those in development squads preparing to represent Jamaica. I make the appeal, persons in my Ministry make the appeal, but still there are many eligible athletes who have not been registered,” the Minister said.

So far, only 1300 athletes are registered with the Insurance Plan and according to the Minister, “for a country like Jamaica with such outstanding athletes we should have more than 1300”.

Sports people eligible to be covered under the Plan must be a member in good standing with the national association or federation. They must be enrolled in the national development programme for a specific sporting discipline. They must participate in at least two Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission training sessions per year.

Kingston, January 14, 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has said the Government of Jamaica is willing to provide funding support to the cricket franchise Jamaica Tallawahs, as it has done in the past.

However, Minister Grange said her Ministry is unable to provide the level of funding required.

Minister Grange said:

“I am in discussions with the Tallawahs and hope to find a way to give some support as I stretch the little that we have. The Tallawahs need in excess of USD 1 million each year for the next three years. We cannot find that. I have to be clear and up front about that. We cannot find that.  In fact, it’s in excess of US$1.5 million. But, working with the private sector we could find a way.  So this evening, I make a special appeal to corporate Jamaica to come on board with the Jamaica Tallawahs.”

Minister Grange was speaking at the Melbourne Cricket Club’s Annual Dinner and Awards ceremony.

The Minister disclosed that the government had been involved in efforts to court sponsors for the Tallawahs at the highest level.

“I must tell you we went as far as having the Prime Minister himself arrange a meeting with the Tallawahs and a private entity in Jamaica which also has an international connection.  Several meetings were held.  Unfortunately, just maybe a couple weeks ago, the Tallawahs were told that this company is unable to assist.”

The requirement of the Tallawahs is greater than the total subventions that the Ministry provides for more than 40 national sports federations each year.

Minister Grange said the if the government were to “give the Tallawahs what they need to keep the game in Jamaica, then we would have to shut down shop and give support to no one else — and that’s not possible.  But we’re still trying.  The little that we have, we will stretch it and give them something.  Yes, we have put something in the budget for them.”

In response to requests for assistance from the Tallawahs, the Government was able to provide support in the sum of US$25,000 in 2015.  In 2017, again in response to requests for help, we provided support in the amount of US$35,000.  Last year, the request came in after the budget process was completed and the government was unable to give financial support.

Kingston, January 11, 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says that a committee has been established to oversee the execution of the development of the Drax Hall Sports Complex in St Ann.

Minister Grange was speaking yesterday (January 10) following a meeting with the Member of Parliament for North East St Ann, the Honourable Shahine Robinson; Mayor of St Ann’s Bay, Michael Belnavis; President, St Ann Football Association, Danny Beckford; representatives from the Mount Pleasant Football Academy and other key stakeholders to discuss plans for the Drax Hall Sports Complex.

“We have initiated a programme of sports infrastructure development and Drax Hall was one of those facilities identified as one of the Jamaica 55 Legacy Projects. We have set up a committee to see to the execution of the development of the facility,” Minister Grange said.

The Drax Hall Sports Complex is now being used by the Mount Pleasant Football Academy for training and for home matches in the Premier League.

The proposed development for Drax Hall included two football fields, a multipurpose court, swimming pool and a number of other facilities to accommodate other sporting disciplines.

Minister Grange said the committee will review the design in light of works done at the facility by the Mount Pleasant Football Academy.

“This is going to be a perfect example of private/public partnership,” the Minister added.

The committee will include representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Sport Development Foundation, Independence Park Limited, the St Ann Municipal Corporation, the St Ann Football Association and the Mount Pleasant Football Academy.

“This is really a broad-based group coming together in the interest of the development of football in this parish –  working together to ensure that we have a first-class multipurpose sporting facility in St Ann,”

Minister Grange said.

Minister Grange said that the committee has been given a year to execute the development at Drax Hall.