Kingston, 15 November 2020 (JIS) - Late Reggae singer and cultural icon, Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert, joins a select list of distinguished Jamaicans who have been laid to rest within the hallowed walls of the National Heroes Park in Kingston.

He died at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) in St Andrew on September 11 at age 77, after a bout of illness.

On hand to witness the interment and bid farewell to Mr. Hibbert on Sunday (November 15) were: Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange; his widow, Doreen Hibbert, and family members, as well as friends and well-wishers.

Sunday’s ceremony featured musical tributes from well-known members of the local entertainment fraternity, among them: saxophonist, Dean Fraser; performing arts company, Nexxus; drummer, Bogo Herman; and singer, Demario McDowell.

The tributes also included several medleys of Mr. Hibbert’s vast musical repertoire.

The act of committal was undertaken by Pastor of Fellowship Tabernacle in Kingston, Rev. Merrick ‘Al’ Miller, and Dr. Carlene Davis.

In an interview with JIS News, Minister Grange said Mr. Hibbert stood out as one of Jamaica’s most outstanding singers, songwriters, performers, patriots, and loyalists, while describing him as a countryman “who was true to his roots”.

“He embodies everything that you would look for in a true Jamaican of African descent. You couldn’t find a warmer person, more loving individual, and a better human being,” she shared, noting that Jamaica and the world will miss his unique sound. “His music is a treasure chest. His performance is something else. No-one else can perform like Toots. We have some great artistes, we have some great performers and songwriters. But there is just nobody like Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert… and I will say that over and over and over again without apology,” she added.

Ms. Grange urged his family to honour the name of the cultural icon who has performed outstandingly over the years.

“He loved everyone and his family has a responsibility to show that warmth and appreciation to each other and to others who are not family,” she said.

The Minister commended the medical team at the University Hospital of the West Indies who attended to Mr. Hibbert after he fell ill and was admitted.

“I just want to commend them for all the attention they gave him and all the work that they are doing to keep other Jamaicans alive and to have them survive this COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.

Dean Fraser, who spoke with JIS News, described Mr. Hibbert as “one of the real superstars out of Jamaica”.

“His vocal ability was huge… better than the rest; and this is a real loss which can’t be replaced,” he shared.

Rev. Miller said Jamaica has lost an icon who has served Jamaica well, noting that “he means so much to so many of us all around the world”.

“Let us not just look at the loss; it is real, it is part of the journey of life. But remember Toots [as] the daddy, the husband, the brother, the friend who you knew, and remember him for who he is… and give thanks for his contribution to life,” he said

Mr. Hibbert’s group, Toots and the Maytals, which was formed in the 1960s, was pivotal in birthing, shaping and popularising Reggae music.

The group’s 1968 single, ‘Do the Reggay’, was the first song to use the word ‘Reggae’, which led to the genre’s naming and their subsequent introduction of the music form to a global audience. Other popular songs by the group include ‘Monkey Man’, ‘Pressure Drop’, ‘Sweet and Dandy’, and ‘Bam’.  The latter two singles are among the three that propelled the group to the National Festival Song titles during the competition’s formative years, between 1966 and 1972.
The group topped the inaugural competition in 1966, with ‘Bam-Bam’, and replicated the feat in 1969 with ‘Sweet & Dandy’, and 1972 with ‘Pomps & Pride’. Toots and the Maytals returned to the competition, which became their signature stomping ground, 48 years after their last triumph to participate in the 2020 edition with their entry ‘Rise up Jamaica’, which was among the 10 finalists.

Among the other notable accolades the group earned were: the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album with ‘True Love’, while Mr. Hibbert was recognised by the Government in 2012 with the Order of Jamaica for his contribution to Jamaica’s music.

Mr. Hibbert was laid to rest beside another globally-acclaimed Jamaica icon, the undisputed ‘Crown Prince of Reggae’, singer - Dennis Emanuel Brown.

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Kingston, 9 November 2020 (JIS) - The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport is moving to retrieve precolonial indigenous sculptures being housed at the British Museum in the United Kingdom (UK).

These are Taino wooden sculptures – the ‘Boinayel figures’ and ‘Birdman’.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, said that “as Minister, I am determined to ensure the repatriation of cultural objects taken from Jamaica, which constitute our rich cultural heritage.”

She was speaking at the recent virtual staging of the Institute of Jamaica Heritage Fest.

Minister Grange said the return of the artefacts “will fill the gaps in our history that are critical to the process of understanding ourselves and fostering greater cultural awareness”.

She informed that the Ministry Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, with the help of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, has initiated the process of “engaging our British partners” to get the artefacts.

She noted that in 1981, the British High Commission in Jamaica had identified approximately 137 objects from Jamaica that were housed at the British Museum.

Information obtained from the IOJ, states that the Taino sculptures were removed from a cave in Carpenter’s Mountain in the parish of Vere, now known as Manchester, during the 18th century. Those objects are also called Carpenter’s Mountain carvings.

“The objects are slated to have been acquired by the British Museum in the period between 1799 and 1803. They were formally entered into the Museum’s collection in 1977,” the document says further.

The IOJ’s Heritage Fest, under the theme ‘Treasures of the IOJ: Every Object Tells a Story’, was streamed on the Institute’s YouTube channel.

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Kingston, 9 November 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, expressed profound sadness at the killing of Police Constable Kirkland Plummer as she called for an end to illegal parties being staged across the country in breach of measures to prevent the spread of covid-19.

Constable Plummer was killed when he went to respond to the sound of gunfire at an illegal party in Manchester.

Minister Grange said the circumstances of the policeman’s killing “was a most reprehensible act which has pained the entire nation because it was an attack against every single one of us.”

According to Minister Grange, “Constable Plummer was acting on behalf of all Jamaicans, and was simply trying to protect those who attacked him in this barbaric way.”

Minister Grange said she had noted reports of attacks against policemen and women by patrons at parties being held in contravention of measures to contain the spread of covid-19.

She urged communities to support the members of the security forces in the lawful execution of their duties.

Minister Grange said:
“Generally, the entertainment industry has been observing the measures to prevent the spread of covid-19, however some communities have been breaching the law.

I urge Jamaicans not to attend these illegal parties and I urge the organisers to desist as these gatherings could provide the environment for further spread of the coronavirus.
I also call on residents to report when these illegal events are taking place in their communities so we can take action to save lives.”

Minister Grange said she would be moving for a resumption of entertainment activities, which are now restricted, as soon as it is safe to do so; “however these acts will negatively affect our efforts.”

The Minister has also expressed sincerest condolences to the family of Constable Plummer.

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Kingston, 4 November 2020 - The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced a change in venue for the Kingston viewing of the body of the late Reggae legend, Toots Hibbert.

The viewing will now take place on Friday, November 13 at the National Indoor Centre, instead of the National Arena.

The Minister has also announced that the body of legendary music producer, Bunny 'Striker' Lee, will be viewed at the same venue on the same day.

“The viewings will take place within the same time frame at the same venue but in two separate spaces. Both men contributed so much to the development of Jamaican music and we want to ensure that they are both given their due and that their fans get a good chance to pay their respects and say goodbye,” she said.

The viewing in the parish of Toots’ birth will be on Wednesday, November 11, at the Anglican Church Hall, May Pen, Clarendon.

On Saturday, November 14 there will be a viewing of the body of Bunny Lee restricted to family and close friends at Roman’s Funeral Home, 23 Dunrobin Avenue from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Both men will be buried on Sunday, November 15, Bunny Lee at 11:00 a.m. at the Dovecot Memorial Park and Toots at 3:00 p.m. at the National Heroes Park.

The viewings will allow for greater participation and provide an opportunity for family, the music fraternity and the wider public to pay their last respects, as burials are restricted to 15 persons and funeral services are prohibited.

Minister Grange is appealing to members of the public who attend the viewings to abide by the Covid-19 protocols that will be in place, including the wearing of masks, social distancing, hand sanitising and temperature checks.

Toots died on September 11 at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston at 77 years old following a brief illness. Bunny Lee passed away on October 6 after a prolonged illness. He was 79 years old.

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Kingston, 31 October 2020 - The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has has paid tribute to the late actor Sir Sean Connery, who is best known for his role as Agent 007 in the James Bond franchise.

"I wish to express my sincere condolences to the family of Sir Sean and to his colleagues at Eon Productions which has been responsible for the production of the Bond films," said Minister Grange.

Minister Grange hailed Connery, stating that “the success of the James Bond franchise and Sir Sean’s remarkable talent served to introduce Jamaica as a film and holiday destination to a global audience."

Scenes from the first Bond film, “Dr. No”, were shot all over the island from the White River in St. Ann to Reynolds’s Pier in Ocho Rios and the Dry Swamp in Falmouth, Trelawny, where the famous crocodile scenes were shot.” The Minister also stated that King’s House in St. Andrew was used as Government House by Bond in “Dr. No”.

Sean Connery was born in Fountainbridge in Edinburgh, Scotland and died on October 30 in the Bahamas.  He was 90 years old. He played James Bond in “Dr No” (1962), “From Russia with Love” (1963), “Goldfinger” (1964), “Thunderball” (1965), and “You Only Live Twice” (1967). He then re-appeared as Bond in “Diamonds Are Forever” (1971) and “Never Say Never Again” (1983).

The latest edition of the Bond franchise “No Time To Die” was filmed in Portland in 2019 and employed over 500 Jamaicans from the cultural, entertainment and creative sectors.

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Kingston, 31 October 2020 - The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced plans for the farewell arrangements for Reggae legend Frederick “Toots” Hibbert.

Toots will be laid to rest at the National Heroes’ Park in Kingston on Sunday, November 15. He will be interred next to Reggae icon Dennis Brown, in the last burial spot left in the area reserved in the Park for the burial of Cultural Icons.

The Minister also revealed that members of the public will be afforded an opportunity to pay their last respects at two public viewings of his remains, which will be conducted under strict covid-19 protocols. The first Viewing will be on Wednesday, November 11 at the Anglican Church Hall, May Pen, Clarendon, followed by a second Viewing on Friday, November 13 at the National Arena in Kingston. The Viewings will run from 11am to 4pm.

The hearse bearing the remains of the Cultural Icon will also drive through the community of Treadlight District where he was born.

“It has been a very intense and sensitive process getting to this point. But thankfully, we’re now at a place where Jamaica can give one of her favourite sons the send-off he earned and deserves. However, I am encouraging all Toots fans and all Jamaicans in general to utilise the opportunities provided to pay their final respects to him but to do so safely, bearing in mind the Covid-19 protocols, particularly around the restrictions on mass gatherings,” the Minister added.

She also outlined that there will be a 90-minute TV Programme featuring several of Jamaica’s leading artistes paying their respects by performing their favourite Toots songs, while those who are not able to perform will record testimonials of their admiration and interaction with the late singer. The tribute concert “Toots – Farewell to Cultural Icon” which is being done in collaboration with key stakeholders in the entertainment industry will be broadcast live on PBCJ, other broadcast media platforms, and will also be streamed worldwide on several social media platforms on Sunday, November 15.

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Kingston, 17 October 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced that the Reggae legend, Toots Hibbert, will be laid to rest in National Heroes Park.

Minister Grange said this had become possible thanks to the generosity of the family of the late Charles Hyatt — the actor, broadcaster, director and author — whose remains were due to be re-interred in the last burial spot for cultural icons at National Heroes Park.

The Minister’s statement follows:

“At the time of his death in January, 2007, the family of our dear Charles Hyatt had requested that he be buried in National Heroes Park, but they were told that there were no more spaces available and he was instead interred at the Meadowrest Memorial Park in St. Catherine. 

It was later discovered that there was one final burial space available in the relevant section at National Heroes Park and the government went back to the family who decided that they would exhume Mr Hyatt’s remains and re-inter them in National Heroes Park.

It has been several years since that decision.

Given the current need for a suitable burial place for the late Toots Hibbert, the Hyatt family has generously consented to allow the Reggae legend to be interred in the final burial spot in the section for cultural icons in National Heroes Park.

I have received the approval of the Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, to proceed with plans for the interment of Toots Hibbert in National Heroes Park.

I deeply appreciate the consideration of the Hyatt family in this matter.

Toots is without question one of the pioneers of Reggae Music. He has even been credited with giving the genre its name. He is a national treasure whose humble demeanour and affable personality belied his towering global stature.

Interment in National Heroes Park will suitably memorialise his contribution to Jamaica and reignite the unity in his family, among his peers and his fans which is required at this time.

I also endorse plans to erect a monument to Toots in his home town.

The current situation has highlighted the need for the establishment of a Memorial Park for the interment of Jamaica's Cultural Icons.

We started work on the establishment of this Memorial Park in the Bruce Golding Administration.

So far we have developed a concept, identified a location where the relevant tests, including soil testing, have been completed. We will now move to develop the designs and budget to present a detailed proposal to the Cabinet.

I commit to ensuring that the late Charles Hyatt is memorialised in the proposed park.”


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Kingston, 15 October 2020 – “The place is nice and clean and ready, except for one and two things,” said the Minister of Culture, Gender Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, on Thursday (today) after she examined the facility that will serve as the first state-run shelter for victims of domestic abuse.

The establishment of national shelters for women who need help to leave violent relationships has been one of the priority programmes of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

The Ministry purchased the property — whose location cannot be revealed for security purposes — in 2018 and has undertaken significant work to transform it into a facility to house women who are victims of gender-based violence and their children.

Minister Grange said:
“We’re fine-tuning some protocols in terms of the operation — just to cross the T’s and dot the I’s. In the meantime, we’re ready; we can take in — I would call them clients — and take care of a family. We actually have most of the rooms ready. There are just two unfurnished rooms.”

The Ministry has also purchased two other properties which it will transform into shelters for victims of abuse.

Minister Grange said the establishment of the shelters could not have been achieved without the assistance of our international partners.

“The former EU Ambassador [Her Excellency Malgorzata Wasilewska] and the Canadian High Commissioner [Her Excellency Laurie Peters] have been very much involved in our efforts to get these shelters. The EU Ambassador has left, but the Canadian High Commissioner [who] will be leaving soon, wanted an opportunity to see where we were in this effort,” said the Minister.

High Commissioner Peters accompanied Minister Grange on Thursday’s tour.

High Commissioner Peters said:
“I am delighted to be here with Minister Grange today at this the first of several nationally funded women’s shelters. We all recognise, Canada in particular, the importance of having safe spaces for women and their families. We have seen that the covid-19 pandemic has put additional pressures on families as they are in isolation and none too soon this is a timely undertaking and I’m heartened to see that it has the space and the capacity to be able to welcome women and their families…”

Minister Grange said she was happy with the development, adding that the facility needed a few items to ensure the comfort of clients.

“So we can do with television sets and bunk beds and desks, toys for the kids and so on. We have studio facilities and we have one bedroom facilities. The rooms are very spacious so we can in fact accommodate a family in an apartment,” said Minister Grange.

The Minister has urged women in abusive situations to call for help.

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Kingston, 7 October 2020 - The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has hailed the late Reggae and dub giant, Bunny 'Striker' Lee, as one of the great “generals” of Jamaican music.

Striker, whose given name is Edward O’Sullivan Lee died yesterday. He had been ailing for some time. He was 79 years old.

Minister Grange said: “Striker had been in and out of the hospital over a period of time but he was fiercely battling his illness. He was such an affable person, that if you had just met him, you would never have known that he was unwell.

“He would strike up some very interesting conversations about music. And one of his most impressive assets was the vast knowledge he had of the music. He was right there in the thick of things in the early days of the evolution of Jamaican music and was always eager to tell his versions of the many duels between producers like Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid, and how the music emerged from those testy days to where it is now.”

Striker spent a lot of time between Jamaica and England and often held his birthday celebration at the famous Jazz Café in one of London’s most famous music zones. He had a massive influence on the UK Reggae scene.

In 2008 he was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in recognition of his contribution to Jamaican music.

Minister Grange said: “Striker Lee lived life to the fullest. Always well attired, adorned by his sailor’s captain’s cap, he would cut a striking figure wherever he went. He was a very supportive person who would sometimes pull me aside to whisper little nuggets in my ear about the direction in which the music was going and the things we could do to keep reggae on the forefront of the musical stage. There are very few, if any, pioneer vintage artistes who could say that they never worked with “Striker Lee” or that he didn’t have an influence on their career in some way.”

“These past weeks have been very tough for the music industry. We have lost some great champions and I want to use this opportunity to appeal to this generation to not let their work go in vain. Listen to their music, learn their styles, learn their attitudes and work ethics towards music and merge them with the modern formats. We know the veterans won’t be around forever but reggae music must live on and so the charge is given to you, this generation, to keep our music shining internationally.”

"I wish to express my heartfelt sorrow and deepest condolences to Striker’s immediate family, extended family and friends and to let them know that I am praying for their comfort at this time. Striker will always be remembered because he was just that type of guy; he was well loved. May his soul rest in peace."

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Kingston, 2 October 2020 - The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, today announced that the Jamaica Gospel Song 2020 Album is now available on international streaming platforms including Apple Music, iTunes, Deezer, Spotify and Amazon Music, as of today Friday, October 2, 2020.

This international release of the Gospel album follows closely on the successful release of the Jamaica Festival Song Album, which peaked at #11 on the iTunes Reggae Album Chart in July. Now lovers of gospel music worldwide will have access to the amazing Jamaica Gospel 2020 Album.

“The moment I heard the songs I knew that they had the potential to go way beyond the competition, and I committed to facilitating the realisation of that vision. I made that commitment to the artistes and today I am proud to say, mission accomplished,” said the Minister.

“The Pandemic presented lots of challenges which affected our usual ways of operation, but we were never daunted” said Minister Grange. “The team at the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission and at my Ministry decided that the limes thrown our way could be used to make sweet tasting lemonade. We saw the success of the Jamaica Festival Song album on the international scene, and firmly believe that Gospel can reap the same level of success. This approach is giving longer life to the top ten songs and greater exposure to the artistes who have participated” the Minister added.

The Album has been available digitally via pre-order since September 18, 2020, and is being distributed by VPAL Music. Persons wishing to purchase the album may visit the various platforms to stream and download the ten-track set.

The winner of the Competition, Treisha Williams with 'One Dose of the Holy Ghost', was announced on July 26, 2020 during a live nationwide telecast of the event on CVM TV. The songs on the album span many Jamaican music genres with variations and fusions obvious in many of the tracks.

This is the first time that the Jamaica Gospel Song Album, produced by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission as part of the annual Independence celebrations, is being made available digitally, locally and internationally.

The track list of the album is as follows:

 Songs are available here: https://smarturl.it/jamaicagospel2020

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