Kingston, 18 November 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced the start of a new programme to assist adolescent fathers to live up to their responsibilities.

Minister Grange made the announcement in her message to mark International Men’s Day, being observed on Tuesday, 19 November 2019.

The new programme — to be implemented by the Women’s Centre Foundation of Jamaica, which runs the Programme for Adolescent Mothers — is called the Young Fathers Jamaica Initiative.

Minister Grange said the new initiative is designed to “assist adolescent fathers to become outstanding dads.”

Minister Grange also announced the start of the #MentorMe2020 programme which will target at-risk young men.

According to Minister Grange, #MentorMe2020 — to be led by the Bureau of Gender Affairs — will see “outstanding men helping high school boys to become outstanding and balanced men of the future.”

International Men’s Day is being observed under the theme “Building Strong Men through Health and Wellness: Balance di ting”.

The Gender Minister said her Ministry will be leading targeted interventions across the country to address some of the Health and Wellness issues that men face everyday. She urged Jamaican men to strive to achieve the right balance in every area of their lives:

“Everyday men across Jamaica make tremendous sacrifices for their families, our communities and our nation. Today, we acknowledge all that you do for us and express our gratitude.

But we know that in your quest to ensure that the rest of us are okay, you oftentimes don’t pay enough attention to your own wellbeing; and that is why for this year’s celebration we focus on Building Strong Men through Health and Wellness to Balance di Ting.”

Among the activities to mark International Men’s Day is a conference focussing on mental health and wellness at the Jamaica Conference Centre beginning at 9:00am.

Minister Grange has urged all Jamaicans to celebrate the men in their lives.

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19 November 2019

Today, I send you warm greetings on International Men’s Day. This is a great opportunity to recognise the outstanding value that you bring to our lives.

Everyday men across Jamaica make tremendous sacrifices for their families, our communities and our nation. Today, we acknowledge all that you do for us and express our gratitude.

But we know that in your quest to ensure that the rest of us are okay, you oftentimes don’t pay enough attention to your own wellbeing; and that is why for this year’s celebration we focus on Building Strong Men through Health and Wellness to Balance di Ting.

We demonstrate real strength when we balance every area of our lives, but getting the balance right is a sensitive matter that sometimes requires some assistance.

Today, we will be launching targeted interventions to address some of the Health and Wellness issues that, as men, you face everyday.

Additionally, I am pleased to announce the start of two new initiatives: the Mentor Me 2020 which will see outstanding men helping high school boys to become outstanding and balanced men of the future; and the Young Fathers Jamaica Initiative which will assist adolescent fathers to become outstanding dads.

I know that sometimes men’s issues do not get the requisite focus, but our celebration of International Men’s Day gives us an opportunity to change that.

Today, we celebrate men from every walk of life and I ask that you wish each man in your life a Happy International Men’s Day.

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

Statement by the Minister of Culture, Gender,
Entertainment and Sport
the Honourable Olivia Grange, CD, MP
Jamaica’s Policy Statement to the 40th Session of the
UNESCO General Conference
Paris, France
15 November 2019

Salutations

President of the General Conference
Chairman of the Executive Board
Director General

Last year, on November 29, the Reggae Music of Jamaica was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and we all celebrated by singing Bob Marley’s “One Love”.

Previously, Kingston, our capital city, was declared a Creative City Of Music by UNESCO, and our Blue and John Crow Mountains were designated a world heritage site.

Our country understands the value of UNESCO in recognising and protecting cultural heritage. These achievements are also in keeping with Jamaica’s recognition of its creative economy. For this reason, Jamaica is taking concrete steps to establish a National Culture and Creative Industries Council “Jamaica Creative” to realise the objectives of the 2005 Convention on the protection and promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

In the field of Education, we are moving solidly to support the Global Convention on the Mobility of Higher Education and Qualification. Jamaica is committed to the promotion of equity, and has pursued the realisation of SDG 4, through the Prior Learning and Assessment Recognition, and other forward looking initiatives. We have prioritised TVET and STEM integration and are making important strides in reducing gender gaps in educational institutions and transforming the early childhood sector.

As we look to the future, the views and development of our young people are important. Jamaica is pleased to have two vibrant representatives in attendance at the UNESCO Youth Forum.
In relation to Science, we have embraced the urgency which must be attached to the pursuit of Open Science, of women and girls in Science, and in managing the digital transformation. In February 2020, Jamaica and the UNESCO Caribbean Cluster Office will be hosting a Conference on Artificial Intelligence for the Caribbean, and will also explore its use to promote integrity in Sport which we call ‘physical culture’. We are convinced of the significant contribution which UNESCO can make to setting global standards in this area.

We also attach great significance to media and information literacy, as responsible media and technology play a vital role in promoting democratic values and fostering inclusive societies. Digital literacy is critical in preparing our people for the far-reaching disruptions, displacement and opportunities of the fourth industrial revolution. This is particularly relevant to SIDS, given our low levels of GDP and labour intensive economies, which are most susceptible to the negative consequences of automation in the short to medium term.

UNESCO’s approval of the declaration of October 24 to 31, as Global Media and Information Literacy Week, would give these important issues the global attention which they need and deserve. We look forward to the support of Member States.

Mr. President, today, Jamaica re-affirms its commitment to pursue the Organisation’s goals and aspirations at the country level.

Today, we are further challenging UNESCO to intensify the mutually reinforcing relationship with its membership, given the unique role assigned to it as a force for good - in national and global development. UNESCO is an organisation which is best placed to demonstrate multilateralism at work.

Jamaica joins other Small Island Developing States in continuing to press for UNESCO to advance a global priority plan towards SIDS imperatives, of which climate change is a critical component.

My delegation acknowledges the many successes of the UNESCO family, including the Regional Offices and National Commissions. We commend the Director General for her vision and for the work underway in the implementation of the strategic transformation to strengthen UNESCO’s capacity and effectiveness. While this is a work in progress, we declare that its success will only be assured, when all Member States are able to see themselves in the outcomes and impact.

One Love, One Heart, One Destiny!

Kingston, 6 November 2019 - The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has said that news today of the death of Olympian Michael Fray has left her feeling really sad.

“Michael was one of those sprinters who performed exceptionally well for Jamaica in the Nineteen Sixties and was a member of our four-by-one relay team which broke the world record with a 38.3 seconds clocking in the semi-finals in the Mexico Olympics. Of note is the fact that this 38.3 clocking still stands as the world record for athletes under twenty-three years old.

“His promise was evident from high school days and while at college in the United States he set the National Junior College 200 metres record in 1967 and was ranked number 10 in the world in the 200 meters in 1968 by Track & Field News magazine.

“It is really sad to lose another of our outstanding athletes so soon after the death of talented footballer Tarania Clarke.”

“I wish on behalf of the Government to extended my deepest condolences to Michael’s brother Robert “Bobby” Fray, his sister, Cecile, his other relatives, friends and members of the track and field fraternity.”

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Kingston, 23 October 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says that the statue in honour of Veronica Campbell Brown at the National Stadium is a fitting tribute to an outstanding athlete.

The Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, unveiled the statue of the Olympic and World Champion sprinter on Sunday.

The statue was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport as a Jamaica 55 Legacy Project to celebrate the country’s glorious heritage in track and field.

In her tribute to Veronica Campbell Brown at the unveiling of the statue, Minister Grange said that “VCB will always be remembered as a young woman of no mean order, one who was always able to draw on her inner strength and come through with literally flying colours when her country and fellow athletes demanded it.”

Since 1997, VCB has won 49 medals, including 27 gold, representing Jamaica in international competitions. During her glittering career, she became the first Jamaican to win a global 100 metres title, the first woman to win the sprint double at the IAAF World Junior Championships, the youngest Jamaican woman to win an Olympic medal, the first Caribbean woman to win an Olympic sprint title, among other achievements.

Minister Grange said:

“Not many of our athletes can speak to the longevity and consistency of VCB. From her earliest days as a teenager blazing on the tracks of the regional championships and then at the National Stadium, representing her school, Vere Technical, in Girls’ Champs, to even this point in her life, she has had a long and distinguished career for which she must be justly proud. Some of us have been able to watch her grow through junior, youth and professional athletics.
In every sphere of competition, VCB stood out. She stamped her class in every arena of local, national and global sport.”

The statue in tribute to Campbell Brown — to the scale of one and quarter life size — has been mounted at Statue Park in the National Stadium beside the statue of her role model, Merlene Ottey.

The VCB statue is the third of four designed by Basil Watson for the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

The first two statues of Usain Bolt and Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce were unveiled in 2017 and 2018 respectively. The statue of Asafa Powell, the last in the series, will be unveiled in 2020.

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Kingston, 19 October 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has given the following statement on the use of national symbols and emblems on items for sale online.

Minister’s Statement

It has come to my attention that items of clothing printed with national symbols and emblems are being offered for sale online.

I noticed Kanye West and members of his choir wearing similarly emblazoned items during their special performance in Kingston last night, but I was not aware at the time that the costumes were being sold online.

We neither received a request for nor did we give permission for our national symbols and emblems to be used for a commercial manner or otherwise.

I have since requested that the items be withdrawn and the vendor has agreed to do so.

We are aware that other vendors are selling Jamaica branded products emblazoned with our national symbols and emblems. Several years ago, when I first served as Minister, I had set up a committee to review and devise a strategy for dealing with the proper use of our emblems and symbols. That work was stopped at the change of administrations. I have been granted permission to reestablish the committee and to continue the work. The membership of the committee with include representatives of the Office of the Prime Minister, the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office, the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and others.

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Kingston, 18 October 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says Jamaica will benefit from the staging of Kanye West’s ‘Sunday Service’ concert in Kingston this evening.

The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport has been working closely with a number of government entities to facilitate the staging of the concert at Emancipation Park in New Kingston, beginning at 7pm.

Addressing a number of issues surrounding the staging of the concert, Minister Grange said:

“It is at no cost to the Jamaican government or the Ministry and Jamaica is benefitting.

Kanye West is paying for absolutely everything… and will be spending over one million US dollars for this event in Jamaica. They’ve covered their own air charter [and] local hotel accommodation. They’re spending a substantial amount on technical services (to be provided by local suppliers), a large number of Jamaicans will be hired to treat with the production. And the facilities that we are providing that are to be paid for will be covered by Kanye West.”

Minister Grange is also reassuring the public that steps are being taken by the Jamaica Constabulary Force to address traffic concerns.

The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation is making its four parking lots on St Lucia Avenue available to patrons free of cost.

Parking will also be available at the National Housing Trust, the Golf Academy, and at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre from where a bus shuttle service will begin at 6 o’clock.

Minister Grange is thanking the public for their patience and understanding.

“I really want to reassure the public that we are doing everything humanly possible to minimise any inconvenience they may experience.

Jamaica is trending at this time across the world because of Kanye West Sunday Service being held in Kingston. Jamaica is open for business. They reached out based on the recommendation of a Jamaican who works with Kanye West. The best we could do is to facilitate them in making the arrangements.

I want to thank the public for their consideration and patience.

Let us welcome another group of visitors to our country because we are open for business.”

The concert will be streamed live at www.sundayservice.com.

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Kingston, 17 October 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has said that the British Broadcasting Corporation naming Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to the list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world, “is recognition totally deserving.”

Minister Grange said that Shelly-Ann’s exploits on the track would have been monumental even before her gold medal run at the 2019 IAAF World Championships.

“But at the Doha meet, she demonstrated courage, class and fortitude to take her fourth 100M gold medal at age 32 and after motherhood. She is in indeed one of the greatest examples for women anywhere of what can be accomplished with determination.

The Sport Minister also congratulated Shelly-Ann on being among the nominees for IAAF Athlete of the Year. “We know that the competition is strong but we also know that you have done enough to win it.”

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Kingston, 16 October 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says all is set for the American rapper, Kanye West, to perform in Jamaica.

“I can confirm that Kanye West will take his pop up Sunday Service series to Kingston this Heroes’ Weekend,” said Minister Grange.

Sunday Service is a series of gospel concerts that Kanye West has been hosting across the United States.

Kanye West’s Sunday Service performance in Jamaica will take place on Friday, 18 October 2019 at Emancipation Park in New Kingston beginning at 7pm.

Minister Grange noted that it is “the first time that Kanye West will be hosting Sunday Service outside of the United States and he couldn’t have chosen a better country than Jamaica.”

Minister Grange said:
"The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport is pleased to facilitate Kanye West’s performance in the country as it supports the government’s programme to establish Jamaica as the preferred destination for music and sport events.”

The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport is working closely with the Jamaica Tourist Board; the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency; the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation and other government entities to ensure the success of the event.

More than 100 performers are due to travel with Kanye West to Jamaica.

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Doha QATAR, 6 October 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has praised the Jamaican team for “a job well done” at the IAAF Championships with ended today (Sunday) in Doha.

“I think it was a very good showing by Jamaica and we must congratulate and encourage all members of the team who represented our country with such heart, determination, courage and dignity,” said Minister Grange.

The Jamaicans finished third on the medals table with three gold, five silver and four bronze medals.

Jamaica won three medals on the final day of the World Championships when the men’s 4x400 relay team of Akeem Bloomfield, Nathon Allen, Terry Thomas, and Demish Gaye took silver behind the United States team.

The team of Anastasia Le-Roy, Tiffany James, Stephenie Ann McPherson, and Shericka Jackson took the bronze in the women’s 4X400 won by the United States with Poland second.

And Danielle Williams took the bronze in the 100 metre hurdles with Janeek Brown placing 7th.

Minister Grange said:
“Jamaica athletes won 12 medals across disciplines on the track and in the field and I’m very proud of our performances. There were disappointments and setbacks, but we also witnessed awesome achievements on which we will continue to build. I congratulate each member of the team, including the coaching and support staff, for a job well done.”

Minister Grange also used her visit to Doha to advance discussions with the leadership of the IAAF regarding the possibility of Jamaica hosting a major athletic event in 2023.

Minister Grange also met with her Kenyan counterpart to discuss initiatives to operationalise the sports, culture and heritage cooperation agreement which was signed between both countries last August in Kingston.

Under the agreement, Jamaica and Kenya will cooperate in organising major sporting events, collaborate on sports science as well as develop an exchange programme for coaches and teachers of physical education, among other initiatives.

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