Kingston, 12 March 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has provided an update to national sport federations on the implications of the urgent and necessary measures being taken by the Government of Jamaica to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

In keeping with the national Containment and Control Strategy, the Government has taken a number of steps including:

• discouraging and restricting non-essential travel outside of Jamaica, especially to countries that have reported cases of the virus which is now a global pandemic;
• discouraging and restricting large gatherings;
• denying and rescinding the granting of permits for the staging of events, during the next 14 days (in the first instance)
• and closing schools for a period of 14 days (in the first instance).

In her letter to the heads of sport federations, Minister Grange noted that the “necessary measures” would have a direct impact on entertainment and sport activities, including Jamaica’s “participation in regional and possibly international competitions as well as the staging of competitions across the island.”

Minister Grange urged the Federations to follow the guidance of the health authorities, noting that “the success of the measures outlined by our Government is dependent on all of us, especially leaders, doing our part.”

Minister Grange made clear that she “cannot support any action outside of the guidance given, including overseas travel for national teams.”  But she noted that the situation is dynamic and subject to regular review and committed to continued dialogue and consultation with the national sport federations as the situation unfolds. 

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Kingston, 9 March 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says the Spotlight Initiative Jamaica programme will strengthen the government’s efforts to end violence against women and girls.

Minister Grange was speaking at the ceremonial signing and launch of the Spotlight Initiative Jamaica programme this morning (Monday) at the Office of the Prime Minister.

The Programme was launched by Prime Minster, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, who said the elimination of gender-based violence is “a high priority objective for the government of Jamaica.”

The Spotlight Initiative is a global, multi-year partnership involving the European Union and the United Nations focused on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls.

Minister Grange said:

“I thank the European Union and the United Nations for partnering with us on this Spotlight Initiative… It is a reflection of this government’s determination to build partnerships as we confront the major issues that affect us all.  It represents an important partnership for change.”

The Spotlight Initiative in Jamaica will address violence as a public health and development issue, under the banner of family violence, with a focus on three priority areas: child sexual abuse; intimate partner violence; and discrimination against vulnerable groups, including the elderly and members of society with disabilities and special needs.

It will be a three-year programme, costing US$10.6M; and will enhance and support strategic actions being taken by the government of Jamaica to eliminate violence against women, including: 

• the establishment of national 24 hour hotlines for victims, including a text line for the deaf;
• legislation to increase protection of vulnerable people such as children and the elderly;
• ongoing sensitisation and awareness-raising among the public; 
• the establishment of the Gender Advisory Council which guides the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the National Policy for Gender Equality and the National Strategic Plan to Eliminate Gender-based Violence;
• and the implementation of the National Shelter Strategy for victims of intimate partner violence.

Minister Grange said:

“The Spotlight Initiative is not a quick fix or a magic wand, but it is a major part of our response to this crisis that we face in our homes and communities.  While [it] will focus largely on women and girls, important efforts will be made to engage men and boys to address the toxic masculinity that is deeply embedded in the society.

There is a certain pervasive idea of masculine identity that is at the root of the high levels of violence, including gender-based violence, in our country.

This idea of masculinity that we teach and enforce causes men to see themselves as strong and women as weak.  It makes them feel that they are superior to women and that they can own, control and abuse women.

It is not a good thing and we must eliminate it by changing the ways we choose to raise our boys and our girls.”

The Minister said she looked forward to a “meaningful working relationship over the next three years” with the UN and EU representatives in Jamaica; and thanked the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith for being a “great negotiator” with the multilateral agencies in the development of the Spotlight Initiative Jamaica programme.

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8 March 2020

Almost 25 years ago, Jamaica joined 188 countries in adopting the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action to achieve gender-equality.

We committed to take action to achieve parity in 12 critical areas, including: poverty; education and training; health; violence; economy; as well as power and decision-making.

Jamaica has made good progress in some areas and is now ranked 41st on the Global Gender Gap Index of 153 countries.

We have achieved parity in education — as one of only 25 countries to do that.

Additionally, we are ranked 24th in the world for Economic Participation and Opportunity on the basis that our women are engaged as equally as men in professional and technical professions — without marked differences when it comes to senior roles.

However, there are still too few women in the board rooms, serving as CEOs, or in Parliament.

Today as we celebrate women we pledge to do more to remove the obstacles — including gender discrimination and sexual harassment — that prevent women assuming leadership roles.

We need women willing and able to take up leadership positions. We all benefit when women and men work together to make the important decisions about our daily lives.

And we have to re-commit ourselves to ending violence against women and girls. As government, we are leading by amending legislation to prevent violence and deal effectively with perpetrators. We are also providing services — including shelters for victims.

And we continue the process of re-socialising our people to live by the mantra that there is no excuse for abuse.

Despite the challenges, Jamaican women continue to hold up more than half the sky and their contribution is felt in every area of national life.

The Global Gender Gap Report says that gender parity will not be attained for another 100 years. That’s a daunting prospect, but Jamaican women are persistent, resilient and hard working; and we will achieve parity for the next generation.

As Minister, I pledge to enable more women to shatter the glass ceiling into tiny splinters. And I urge a new generation of advocates to join the movement as we accelerate towards gender equality and a better country for all of us.

It is an amazing time to be a woman in Jamaica but the best is yet to come.

Happy International Women’s Day.

Olivia Grange, CD, MP
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport

Kingston, 27 February 2020 - (JIS) Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has hailed the nation’s music stalwarts for carving out a space for Jamaica’s indigenous art form on the international stage.

Citing several vintage and contemporary artistes, she said that “these icons are ordinary Jamaicans, who have given the world over six genres that comprise Jamaica’s music.” These include mento, ska, rocksteady, Reggae, dancehall, dub and lovers rock.

“We salute them for their creativity and they have carved out a proud place in the world,” the Minister said.

Minister Grange, who was addressing the recent Jamaica Day celebration at the Denbigh High School in Clarendon, said that the designation of February as Reggae Month is to ensure that the contribution of the artistes is properly showcased.

For his part, Minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Mike Henry, who is also Member of Parliament for Central Clarendon, said it is important for young people to celebrate their country, and to draw inspiration from its builders in various fields.

He further urged them to “prepare yourself to take advantage of the immense opportunities and the potential in Jamaica.”

Jamaica Day was observed under the theme: ‘Celebrating Jamaica…highlighting our Icons in the Arts, Agriculture and Technological Innovations,’ and involved cultural performances and displays, and presentations from leaders in various fields, at schools across the island.

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Kingston, 11 February 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced that the Ministry will be providing financial assistance for athletes preparing to compete in Major Games. 

Minister Grange was speaking at the unveiling of the Asafa Powell statue at Statue Park at the National Stadium on Sunday, February 9.

“This is a long term effort by this Administration to provide the necessary support systems to ensure that the wellbeing of our athletes is sustained. As part of our effort to enable our sportspeople to achieve global success, this evening, I am pleased to announce that beginning on March 1 and continuing into mid-July of this year, athletes who have qualified or are on the brink of qualification for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, will receive $20,000 per week towards their preparation, to be disbursed on a monthly basis.” 

The Sport Minister said the money would assist the athletes to offset costs relating to coaching and training; transport; physiotherapy and massage therapy; nutrition, and special needs.

“In addition, the Jamaica Athletes Insurance Plan is available to assist with medical treatments that the athletes may require.”
 
She emphasised that the athletes selected to benefit from the programme must be certified by their local governing body as well as by the National Olympic Committee and the Jamaica Olympic Association.

“We are finalising the details of this programme in consultation with the respective National Sport Federations. The success of this programme will be dependent on input and information provided by the national sports governing bodies and so we look forward to their full cooperation in this regard.
 
“I repeat my pledge to continue to be the chief advocate, chief cheerleader, chief supporter, chief motivator for our creative and athletic people and will do all I can to ensure that you get the respect and recognition you deserve.

“And so I am determined to expand the scope of our participation in global sports. So, in all we expect that we will be supporting over 100 athletes in their bid to represent Jamaica at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo.”
 
“Once we have finalised the intricacies of implementing the programme, we will turn our attention to providing assistance to other high performance athletes who represent our country with great distinction and are in need of this support.”

Minister Grange commended Asafa Powell for his “outstanding achievement in the field of national and international athletics. We respect his commitment, hard work and performance as well as the contribution of those whose support made it all possible – his family, coaches, community.

“I am sure Asafa’s story will inspire other youngsters who are even now contemplating investment in their talents and abilities and the unlimited possibilities ahead of them,” the Sport Minister concluded.

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Kingston, 10 February 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says the sprinter, Asafa Powell, became “one of Jamaica’s greatest athletes” because of “a critical eye, care and support” of his coach, family and community.

Minister Grange was speaking at the unveiling of the statue in tribute to Powell on Sunday at the National Stadium.

The Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, unveiled the statue during a special ceremony.

Minister Grange said Asafa Powell’s outstanding career showed “how consistent, determined and strategic support can trigger success of immeasurable proportions.”

The Minister praised Powell’s parents — William and Cislyn — as well as coach Stephen Francis who discovered Asafa after he finished seventh in his final race at Boys and Girls Champs.

“Incredibly, with his coming seventh, Stephen Francis… saw his talent and began to work with him. This inauspicious intervention has led to the creation of one of Jamaica’s greatest athletes,” said Minister Grange.

Asafa Powell is the first Jamaican to break the world record in the 100 metres and has completed the 100 metres in under ten seconds more times than anyone. His world record currently stands at 97 sub-10 seconds finishes. Minister Grange prays that he will be able to make it to a hundred in the near future.

The Minister said the unveiling of the statue of Asafa Powell represented the “fulfilment of a promise we made a few years ago on the back of our unparalleled successes in the field of athletics – that we would create statues in recognition of four of our greatest athletes.”

The statue of Asafa Powell is the final of the four to be mounted in Statue Park at the National Stadium following sculptures of Usain Bolt, Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce and Veronica Campbell Brown.

The renowned Jamaican sculptor, Basil Watson, was commissioned to produce all four sculptures under the Jamaica 55 Legacy Programme.

Minister Grange praised Watson, whom she described as a “national treasure” for his “great work on all four statues, which has assisted us in achieving our objectives.”

According to Minister Grange, “the statues not only highlight Jamaican athletic success but will serve as inspiration for all of us about what is possible when we try.”

END

Kingston, 7 February 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says all is set for the unveiling of the statue of Jamaican Olympian Asafa Powell on Sunday, 9 February 2020.

The Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, will unveil the statue in a special ceremony at Statue Park in the National Stadium, beginning at 5:00pm.

Minister Grange has invited the public to attend the ceremony and witness the unveiling of the statue.

Minister Grange said:

“This is the final of four statues that we commissioned as part of the Jamaica 55 Legacy programme to celebrate the achievements of our outstanding athletes. The statues not only highlight Jamaican athletic success but will serve as inspiration for all of us about what is possible when we try. So I invite as many people as possible to join us on Sunday and celebrate with Asafa.”

The renowned Jamaican sculptor Basil Watson was engaged by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport to design statues in honour of Usain Bolt, Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce, Veronica Campbell Brown and Asafa Powell.

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Kingston, 4 February 2020 – The Jamaica Jamaica! exhibition — which tells the story of the island’s music; and has been seen by thousands of people in France and Brazil — is finally on show in the birthplace of Reggae music.

The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, officially opened the exhibition at the National Gallery of Jamaica in Kingston on Sunday.

Minister Grange said it was timely to welcome to Jamaica, the exhibition which “celebrates the musical innovations born on the island, especially during Reggae Month”.

The exhibition titled 'Jamaica Jamaica: How Jamaican Music Conquered the World’ is part of the official Reggae Month programme, but Minister Grange explains that the exhibition will run until 28 June 2020.

Jamaica Jamaica! aims to tell the story behind the musical genres of kumina, revival, mento, ska, rocksteady, Reggae, dub and dancehall. It also highlights the impact of the local sound system culture, street culture, and visual arts on popular culture.

The exhibition is being mounted at the National Gallery of Jamaica through a collaboration with La Philharmonie de Paris, which first launched the exhibition in 2017.

According to the Minister, the exhibition “brings together rare memorabilia, photographs, visual art, audio recordings and footage unearthed from Jamaica's best museums and most elusive collectors and studios, while collaborating with legendary local visual artists to convey the essence of a true Jamaican music experience.”

Minister Grange also announced that a statue of the ‘King of Reggae, Bob Marley’ that was done by Christopher Gonzales would be included in the exhibition, which she has described as “a must see”.

The opening hours for the National Gallery of Jamaica are: Tuesday to Thursday 10am-4:30pm; Friday 10am-4pm; Saturday 10am-3pm; and every last Sunday of the month from 11am to 4pm.

While Jamaica Jamaica! is mounted at the National Gallery of Jamaica, there will be a full range of programming, including film screenings, and artist and curator talks; special language group tours in German, French, Japanese by appointment; and children’s musical programming on Saturdays.

The exhibition is curated by Sebastien Carayol, Herbie Miller and O’Neil Lawrence.

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Kingston, 3 February 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has welcomed home the Jamaican Grammy-winning artiste, Koffee.

Minister Grange met the artiste at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston on Monday (today). It was the singer’s first time returning to Jamaica since winning the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in Los Angeles, California on 26 January 2020.

Minister Grange said:
“I’m really very happy to welcome Koffee home after she made history as the first female solo Reggae artiste to win the Grammy. I’m as excited as when I was Shabba Ranks’ manager and we won the Grammy. I feel so good about Koffee’s success.”

The Minister described it as a blessing to be celebrating Koffee’s success during Reggae Month.

Minister Grange said she was delighted that her Ministry provided a platform to showcase Koffee’s talent. In December 2017, Minister Grange selected Koffee — who was 17 at the time — to perform at the unveiling ceremony for the statue of the Jamaican track legend, Usain Bolt, at the National Stadium.

“She performed for Usain Bolt and, for the first time, had major exposure at the national level [and] the rest is history. She has just moved from success to success and what is so beautiful about her — she’s young, she’s bright, and she’s humble,” said Minister Grange.

Koffee also paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, at Jamaica House.

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Kingston, 17 January 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has expressed sadness at the passing of the dancer and choreographer, Barry Moncrieffe.

Minister Grange said he was “one of the finest male dancers we’ll ever see.”

In a tribute this evening, Minister Grange said:

“I am very sad to receive news of Barry Moncrieffe’s passing, only a few weeks after we celebrated his 78th birthday at the end of December.

Uncle Barry, as many of us called him, was one of the foremost figures in dance in Jamaica. He gave 55 years of unbroken service to the National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica through various roles as dancer, choreographer and artistic director. He was a central figure in establishing and developing the artistic style and sustainability of the company.

Barry Moncrieffe also served as an outstanding dance teacher at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts; and has been a role model for and an inspiration to several of Jamaica’s outstanding dancers.

He was also involved in the fashion industry and was famous for mixing black, white and red to create stunning pieces.

Barry Moncrieffe served well and we will miss him. I offer sincerest condolences to his family, his friends and his colleagues.”

Barry Moncrieffe has been honoured with the Musgrave Silver award by the Institute of Jamaica and was conferred with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander.

END