Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday (April 13, 2021), the Prime Minister also encouraged major stakeholders in the industry to join the Government in developing strategies for the delivery of their product; this as the industry is expected to attract many as the country transitions out of the pandemic.

Prime Minister Holness also noted that part of the capital investment that the Government will have to make is in entertainment spaces, venues and locations which he acknowledges are insufficient.   

“Presently, we have not designated spaces for entertainment, so you might have a dancehall right beside a church or a clinic within residential areas, and we disturb our neighbours. What the pandemic has revealed is that we need to reconfigure our society. We need to sit with the stakeholders and plan to build a new Jamaica, a Jamaica in which entertainment can be accommodated, and this is a conversation that we need to have without anybody saying that we are fighting dancehall,” said Prime Minister Holness.

The Prime Minister says he is acutely aware of the hurt and suffering faced by many in the entertainment industry due to the significant loss of resources. In that regard, he said the Government sees music and culture as a part of our economic recovery, and as such, will allocate funds towards the industry.

END