Government of Jamaica
Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius November 26, 2018 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has arrived in the Republic of Mauritius for the 13th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage which began today (Monday, 26 November).
The Committee will consider, among other things, Jamaica's submission for the inscription of Reggae music on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
According to Minister Grange, “Reggae is uniquely Jamaican. It is a music that we have created that has penetrated all corners of the world. It is important that we safeguard and protect Reggae music.”
Jamaica’s nomination is one of 40 to be decided on by the Committee which ensures the implementation to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003).
The Convention promotes the safeguarding of traditions and living expressions handed down from generation to generation, including oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.
Minister Grange, who is first Jamaican Minister to be elected to the Committee, says she’s “happy to make the case to UNESCO for the inscription of Jamaica’s Reggae Music as our intangible cultural heritage.”
Minister Grange said the intention is to ensure that “Reggae music is recognised worldwide as the creative output of the Jamaican people.”
The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity now has 399 elements including Maroon Heritage of Moore Town which was inscribed in 2008.
The Committee will end its deliberations on Saturday, 1 December 2018.
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Kingston, November 21, 2018 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange says she is pleased that the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission will benefit from the Energy Efficiency Project being implemented across government.
The project which is being executed under the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programme involves a complete overhaul of the JCDC’s Corporate Offices’ air conditioning system and an upgrade of its electrical infrastructure.
Speaking today at the Signing Ceremony for the Memorandum of Understanding between the PCJ and the JCDC Minister Grange said, “This initiative of the PCJ is a demonstration of joined-up government at work and that government is committed to building out a more energy efficient society.”
She said that outside of the industrial sector, the government is perhaps the biggest consumer of energy.
“We live in a tropical climate where air conditioning is a very important comfort factor in the workplace environment. So whatever we can do to keep our staff comfortable and productive, we must do at the least possible cost,” Minister Grange said.
The $31 million investment will include the installation of 49 indoor units with ventilation systems and the installation of cool roof technology.
“Even as we as the government take the strides to improve our energy consumption we must all as individuals take personal responsibility to practice conservation measures in our homes and businesses,” Minister Grange said.
Minister Grange also charged the staff at the JCDC to be responsible for utilising the new systems that are being installed.
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Kingston, November 21, 2018 - The Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport has said that it is not true that she had acted improperly in her appointment of the new board of directors of the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), as alleged by the Opposition Spokesperson on Sport.
“Nothing of the sort,” Miss Grange said.
She said: “I acted within the dictates of the Articles of Incorporation of the SDF.
“It is obvious that it escaped the Opposition Spokesperson that on June 11, 2018, the ownership of the SDF was transferred to the Accountant General in the culmination of a process initiated by the Cabinet of which she was a member in July 2015. The intention was to identify all public companies that had registered shareholders/owners other than the Accountant General with a view to transferring those shares to the Government of Jamaica.
“On May 17, 2018, the SDF registered its Articles of Incorporation with the Registrar of Companies and the Companies Office of Jamaica. These new Articles of Incorporation reflect the Government’s ownership of SDF.
“My appointment of the Board of Directors is in keeping with the authority accorded as per the Articles of Incorporation.
“Anyone looking on can see that I have indulged in no acts of politicisation as there has been little change of personnel in my re-appointment of the members of the SDF Board.
“It is unfortunate that the Opposition should issue a statement that has absolutely no basis in facts,” Minister Grange concluded.
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Kingston, November 19, 2018 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced the appointment of members of the Board of Directors of Independence Park Limited, Institute of Sports Limited and Sports Development Foundation.
The appointments are for a period of two years with effect from 12 November 2018.
Independence Park Limited
The new Board is chaired by the Honourable Michael Fennell, OJ, CD. Mr David Shirley is Vice Chairman. The other members are:
- Mrs Annmarie Heron
- Major Desmon Brown
- Assistant Commission of Police Terrence Bent
- Lieutenant Colonel Roderick Rowe
- Mr Lenford Salmon
- Mr Carlton Dennis
- Mr Edward Barnes
- Dr Peter Charles
- Ms Audrey Chin
Institute of Sports
The new Board is chaired by Mr Newton Amos. Assistant Commissioner of Police Ronald Anderson is Deputy Chairman. The other members are:
- Mr Gladstone Wright
- Mr Emile Spence
- Mr Viswanaught Tolan
- Mrs Florette Blackwood
- Mr Ryan Foster
- Mrs Daphne Hurge
- Dr Michelle Holt
- Dr Lee Martin
- Mrs Marvalyn Campbell
- Mr Allan Beckford
- Mr Renardo Smith
Sports Development Foundation
The new Board is chaired by Mr George Soutar. Mr Lloyd Pommells is Deputy Chairman. The other members are:
- Mr David Shirley
- Mr Ian Forbes
- Honourable Molly Rhone, OJ, CD
- Dr Donovan Bennett
- Mr Christopher Stokes
- Mrs Annmarie Heron
- Mr Newton Amos
- Mr Compton Rodney
Minister Grange says she’s confident that the new Boards will advance the government’s mandate to develop sport from the grassroots to the high performance level.
MESSAGE BY THE HONOURABLE OLIVIA GRANGE, CD, MP
MINISTER OF CULTURE, GENDER, ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORT
FOR INTERNATIONAL MEN’S DAY 2018
19 November 2018
Today, we celebrate International Men’s Day and put a special focus on our men.
International Men's Day is an opportunity to reflect on the state of the Jamaican man — his health and wellbeing, his challenges and successes.
We can be proud of the positive value that the vast majority of Jamaican men bring to their families, communities and to our country each day. As the Minister for Gender Affairs, I commend our men, young and old, who continue to give of themselves in the building of our nation — they are the role models who we are happy to celebrate today and every day.
Sometimes men’s issues do not get the requisite focus on the gender agenda, but we are working to change that. The Men’s Desk which we established a few years ago in the former Bureau of Women’s Affairs has been expanded to the Men’s Department at the repurposed Bureau of Gender Affairs. The Bureau is now a central point for information and advocacy on men’s issues including parenting, health, education and the unique role that men must play alongside women in creating a harmonious society with gender equality.
Through the Bureau, we have been conducting parenting seminars that target men in an effort to change entrenched behaviour that militate against good parenting. We are committed to giving our men the requisite support to perform their role as fathers. In this regard, I‘m happy to announce that we will launch the Positive Father Project, with the support of UNESCO, as one of our main activities for International Men’s Day.
Men must not only be seen as providers or disciplinarians in the family, they also have a critical role as nurturers. We want to boost the participation of fathers in the household, particularly in the nurturing of their children, and that is why we are also championing the Paternity Leave policy through the Bureau of Gender Affairs. I invite men and women to participate in consultations today and during the next few months towards the development of the policy.
Today, I urge us all to highlight, in a special way, the positive male role models in our lives and wish them a Happy International Men’s Day.
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Kingston, October 26 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced a new policy to honour former Prime Ministers of Jamaica.
According to Minister Grange effective immediately her Ministry will lead floral tributes on the birthdays of deceased former Prime Ministers.
Minister Grange announced the new policy today (Friday) at a Floral Tribute at National Heroes Park to commemorate the 107th Anniversary of the birth of the Most Honourable Sir Donald Sangster, the second Prime Minister of Jamaica.
“No longer should any of our former Prime Ministers be laid to rest and forgotten and their contributions to national development folded away in the pages of history books, only explored by those in academic pursuit or those who have a deep passion for their history.
“As we do for Sir Donald today, this initiative of my ministry will continue. We will also be observing and celebrating the life and work of the Most Honourable Michael Manley and the Most Honourable Hugh Shearer on the occasion of their birth anniversaries. Our Prime Ministers must not only be regarded in the living years. I am starting this tradition that no longer will they be forgotten. This is the standard for others to follow,” Minister Grange said.
Sir Donald Burns Sangster succeeded the Right Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante in February 1967 and served until April of that year when he succumbed to sudden illness.
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Kingston, October 23 – Keeping true to a commitment she gave on October 12, the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has presented Jamaican footballer, Luton Shelton with a cheque for J$5million from the Sports Development Foundation towards his medical care.
Shelton was diagnosed with ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.
The presentation was made during the RSPL Monday night game on October 22 at the Harbour View Stadium.
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Kingston, October 3 – The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, through the Sport Development Foundation has contributed Two Million Dollars to Netball Jamaica towards the staging of the Sunshine Series which begins at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Sunday, October 7.
Minister Grange made the cheque presentation at a breakfast she hosted for Netball Jamaica and Sponsor representatives today (Wednesday).
“I regret that because of duties overseas I will miss most of the Series but I do hope to attend one or two of the matches on my return to Jamaica. But I am leaving with Netball Jamaica a nice little gift as I depart – Two Million Dollars - provided by the Sports Development Foundation,” the Sport Minister said.
The Minister said also, “The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport has underwritten the cost for the entertainment package for the Half Time Shows at all of the matches.”
Minister Grange wished Netball Jamaica a successful Series and thanked the sponsors.
“All of Jamaica is proud of the Sunshine Girls who are showing more and more class by their recent performances and more and more we are convinced that world championship for them is just a few passes away,”
Minister Grange said.
The Series will see the Sunshine Girls playing against the English Roses and Trinidad and Tobago’s Calypso Girls.
Minister Grange left the island today for Paris where she will attend the 205th Session of the UNESCO Executive Board.
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Kingston, 2 October 2018 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has welcomed the designation by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust of the Blue Lagoon in Portland as a National Monument.
The Jamaica National Heritage Trust — an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport — completed the process of declaration in August 2018 following what Minister Grange says has been “six decades of effort to protect the Blue Lagoon.”
Minister Grange said:
“We have long recognised the importance of this national treasure and efforts to protect it began as early as 1958. I am happy to be the Minister who has taken the process to this stage where the site is now declared a national monument. This designation is critical to the process of preserving and protecting the Blue Lagoon for future generations and guaranteeing access to all Jamaicans to this natural lagoon with an aesthetic and historic value that can stand above similar sites in the hemisphere.”
The Blue Lagoon was declared a National Monument on the basis of its aesthetic and scientific values.
The declaration comes following the expiration of a Preservation Notice — giving temporary legal protection to the property — which was issued under the signature of Minister Grange in October 2017 and renewed in April 2018. The declaration also follows consultation with stakeholders on the boundaries, purpose and effect of the declaration.
The Blue Lagoon National Monument declared area includes all those bodies of water up to the high water mark during high and low tide known as Unity Bay, Lime Kiln Bay and the inlet called the Blue Lagoon which together constitutes the Controlled Area. The boundary also includes the parochial access road known as the Blue Hole Road. It does not include the cay called Pellew Island.
Minister Grange has urged the JNHT to move to conclude consultations towards confirming the Preservation Scheme and Management Plan for the declared area as well as to move swiftly to conclude discussions with key government agencies regarding the sustainable management of activities at the national monument.
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Kingston, 1 October 2018 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced that her Ministry will be getting funding support from UN Women towards the implementation of the National Strategic Action Plan to Eliminate Gender-based Violence.
The Minister made the comment as she signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and the UN Women Multi-Country Office of the Caribbean.
The National Strategic Action Plan to Eliminate Gender-based Violence is a ten-year programme of activities — which is being implemented across the whole of government — with specific targets towards eliminating this horrendous crime. The Plan has a series of actions to prevent violence, protect and deliver adequate services to victims and to deal appropriately with perpetrators.
"It's great that the Ministry now has a partner who is assisting Government in funding these projects," said Minister Grange. "This MOU is going to have a far-reaching impact on the Government's effort to fight gender-based violence."
She explained that under the MOU, UN Women will assist with the development of a public education campaign titled 'No Excuse For Abuse' which will take the anti-violence message to communities across the country.
Minister Grange said:
"The public education programme that will follow the signing of this MOU will address areas like prevention, protection, investigation and enforcement. The campaign which speaks to 'No Excuse for Abuse' is a message that is going to be carried far and wide. We want to get into the communities right across Jamaica. We will be using Government information bodies such as the JIS and the CPTC but it's going to be an all-media campaign."
The UN Women Multi-Country Office of the Caribbean Representative, Alison McLean, said the MOU represented a continuation of the agency's collaboration with the Government to eliminate gender-based violence. UN Women had assisted the Government to develop the National Strategic Action Plan.
Mrs McLean said:
"In this particular phase we will be working with the Bureau [of Gender Affairs] as project manager and the Ministry along with JIS and CPTC to develop a campaign around gender-based violence using the data we have gleaned from the Women's Health Survey that for the first time gives us definitive data on violence against women (gender-based violence), and its effect on families and communities in Jamaica."
Among other things, the Women's Health Survey found that one in every four women in Jamaica has experienced physical violence by a male partner; that a quarter of women had been sexually abused by men who are not their intimate partners; that one out of every five women reported being sexually abused before reaching 18 years old and that the main perpetrators were family and friends.
The MOU will be in effect for three years.
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