Kingston 25 November 2020 (JIS) - The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says Jamaica must renew its commitment to ending domestic abuse as well as using violence as a way to discipline children.

“It’s time we decide as a nation that we will stop beating our pickney. We must end all acts of violence and abuse in our homes, in our communities, and in our country. We have to focus on the homes and the communities because most of the violence against women, girls and boys takes place in the homes,” she noted, during the sitting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday (November 24).

She was speaking against the observance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls on Wednesday (November 25) under the theme ‘The Empowered Woman: From Victim to Survivor’.

Minister Grange, in her address, cited a United Nations report that states that 35 per cent of women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual violence.

“This is in keeping with the findings of the local women’s health survey, which found that one in every four women in Jamaica has been slapped, beaten, thumped up with fist, pushed, kicked, attacked with a weapon or threatened with a weapon by her male partner. We also know that the violence doesn’t have to happen. It is not inevitable,” she said.

Minister Grange pointed out that in countries such as the United States (US), violence against women has declined. “Domestic violence against adult women went down by 64 per cent between 1993 and 2010,” she said.

She noted that Jamaica has adopted similar measures to those implemented by the US under a 10-year National Strategic Action Plan to end gender-based violence.

Among the actions is the development of a network of shelters for women who need help to leave abusive relationships. 

Minister Grange urged women who need support to call the 24-hour hotline numbers: (876) 553-0372 and (876) 929-2997.

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Kingston, 25 November 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says she’s sad of the news of the passing of the football legend, Diego Maradona.

In a statement this afternoon, Minister Grange said:

“This is a sad day for world football.

Whether you supported Argentina or not, you have to admit that Diego Maradona was one of the greatest football players the world has ever seen.

Nobody dribbled like Maradona. Maradona was colourful and gifted and made the game exciting. It was a pleasure to watch him play at every level.

People will recall the ‘hand of God’ controversy and his personal struggle with substance abuse. But I want to focus on his skill that propelled him to make his international debut at age 17; his World Cup glory in 1986; his winning the FIFA Player of the Century award in 2000, jointly with another great, Pele; and just the inspiration that he was and will continue to be for football players and fans everywhere.

His passing is a great loss to the world of sports as he inspired an entire generation of youths across the world to be involved in and support football.

May his soul rest in peace. We will miss him.”

It was reported on Wednesday that Maradona, who inspired Argentina to the FIFA World Cup title in 1986, died of a heart attack. He was 60.

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Kingston, 23 November 2020 (JIS) - The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, is appealing for Jamaicans “not to turn a blind eye” to acts of violence against women and girls.

She was speaking at a church service to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (IDEVAW) held at the Power of Faith Ministries in Portmore, St Catherine, on Sunday (November 22).

Citing findings from the 2016 Women’s Health Survey, the Minister said that one in every four Jamaican women has been physically abused by her partner at some point in her lifetime and one in every three Jamaican women has been a victim of sexual violence.

“These statistics are indeed alarming,” she said.

Minister Grange said that it is possible to have a Jamaica that is free of violence against women and girls and that the church is well positioned “to help us achieve this reality”.

“From our vantage point, churches change culture through education, through advocacy and support and these are critical to address and overcome sexual and gender-based violence,” she noted.

She urged the church to pray for victims of violence as well as for the perpetrators, “so that God can show them the way to stop doing what they are doing… as we fight the scourge of violence”.

She noted that gender-based violence affects everyone in Jamaica regardless of age, education, employment status, union status or areas of residence.

“What this means is that the church, like everywhere else in our society, has members who are survivors, who are bystanders and, sadly, perpetrators,” she pointed out.

Statistics from the World Health Organisation indicate that one in every three women worldwide has experienced either physical and or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.

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Kingston, 20 November 2020 - The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced that resurfacing of the track at the National Stadium is set to start “any time now” while similar work at the Catherine Hall Sports Complex in Montego Bay, St James is scheduled for the 2021-2022 financial year.

Minister Grange said she had asked the Sports Development Foundation to treat the Catherine Hall Sports Complex as a priority for the next financial year which starts on April 1, 2021.

She said that all the assessment for replacement of the Catherine Hall track had been completed and the level of work required for the resurfacing determined.

The Sport Minister said two factors will determine when the work gets going at the National Stadium; the first is that because the track has to be laid on a completely dried surface, it must await the end of seasonal rains.

The other factor is the ability of the manufacturers’ representatives, BSW of Germany, to come to Jamaica to supervise the project and this will depend on covid restrictions. BSW is the same company that laid the track in 2010.

Minister Grange said, “The material for the resurfacing of the Stadium track is on site. Upgrading after 10 years of usage is now necessary for the track to retain its Class 1 certification by World Athletics, formerly the International Association of Athletics Federations. The track was laid in 2010 with a projected lifespan of eight years, but because of maintenance and care we were able to extend it by another two years to 2020.

“The Government has put a maintenance/replacement programme in place to ensure that there is money for upgrading stadium facilities. Money was actually put aside for the National Stadium and going forward we will be using this approach for maintaining and upgrading other facilities.

“The resurfacing at the National Stadium should be completed within six weeks,” the Sport Minister said.

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Kingston, 18 November 2020 – The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport has paid a balance of just under US$71,000 which was outstanding on the hospital bill for long distance runner, Kemoy Campbell, who had collapsed while competing at the Millrose Games in New York City in the United Sates in February last year.

Campbell had developed a heart problem and after receiving an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, ultimately had to be fitted with a pace maker.

Initially, the Ministry’s Jamaica Athletes Insurance Plan (JAIP) paid US$31,677.00 towards settlement of his medical bill while he also paid an amount through his personal insurance plan but there was still the outstanding balance of US$71,000.

Minister Olivia Grange said, “The Ministry felt duty bound to assist Kemoy. He has performed very well for Jamaica and in fact, as we know, he fell ill on the track. And so the least we could do to show appreciation and gratitude to him was to assist in his time of great need.

“I am happy that through the JAIP and the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) we were able to give Kemoy the level of assistance that concluded settlement of his medical bills and that he is doing well.

“I continue to encourage athletes to sign up for the Jamaica Athletes Insurance Plan and maintain contact with the Sport Division of the Ministry to ensure that their health and welfare matters are in order.”

In expressing gratitude, Campbell said, “My family and I would like to sincerely thank Minister Grange for helping me with my medical bills. After my second incident in March 2020, the Minister reached out to me and told me that I shouldn’t worry about the bills, as she was willing to help me pay for my medical expenses following my surgery.
“This meant so much to me because my hospital stay and surgery were very expensive. Knowing that the Minister and Jamaica were there for me during this tough time helped me get through the months following. I really appreciate everything that the Minister and Jamaica have done for me and will always be grateful.”

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Kingston, 16 November 2020 (JIS) - A number of activities are being organised in observance of International Men’s Day (IMD) on Thursday, November 19 under the theme ‘A Man’s Health is a Man’s Wealth’.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Denzil Thorpe, said that a forum and presentation of Outstanding Father Award will be held at the The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m,

He was speaking at the IMD Church Service held on Sunday (November 15) at the Constant Spring Road Church of God, St. Andrew.

The event, organised by the Bureau of Gender Affairs (BGA), will include presentations on prostate cancer awareness, mental health and wellness, healthy sexual lifestyle practices, and updates on the Young Fathers Jamaica Initiative and the #mentorme2020 Male Mentorship Programme.

The Outstanding Father Award will honour men who are exemplary in their roles as fathers, mentors and role models.

The IMD event will also include the soft launch of the Exemplary Male Role Models 2021 Calendar. This is an initiative by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) in collaboration with the BGA.

At 7:30 p.m. that evening, the State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, will host a rap session via Instagram and Facebook platforms to speak on a range of topics, including men’s health and other psychosocial issues.

Mr. Thorpe said that the objective of the activities is to raise awareness about men’s health and physical well-being and to recognise their contribution as positive role models to the social, cultural and economic development of the Jamaican society.

The IMD celebration will be preceded by the reading of an IMD statement in Parliament on Tuesday (November 17) and the pinning of the symbolic white ribbons on Members of Parliament and Senators.

Mr. Thorpe said the BGA is committed to “supporting our men and boys here in Jamaica as well as those in the diaspora”.

“Through the special service desk for men, the BGA has hosted workshops, seminars and counselling sessions to promote positive images of men and boys, while addressing different aspects of manhood and fatherhood,” he added.
He said the sessions have helped to foster greater parenting skills and provided men with skills to play a more active role in the lives of their children and families.

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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, 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, 23 October 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has urged countries to “put stronger focus on creating real gender equality” as they build back stronger from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Minister Grange made the remarks in a video statement for the launch of the US Government-led International Call to Action on Women’s Economic Empowerment which was launched on Friday (today) by Senior US Government Officials, including the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo; US Ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft; National Security Advisor, Robert O’Brien, and Advisor to the President, Ivanka Trump.

Jamaica is among the 31-member core group of countries that are supporting the Call to Action which is intended to ensure that women have the ability to freely and fully participate in the global economy.

Minister Grange said:
“There’s an overwhelming body of evidence showing the undeniable connection between women’s economic participation and prosperity. Anywhere that the situation of women improves, the overall economic condition in the country also improves.

And that is why [Jamaica] continues to invest in education and training and providing grants and other types of funding to put women on the path to economic independence.”

The Call to Action encourages governments, the private sector, and other stakeholders to promote and protect the rights of women workers, take action to remove structural and legal barriers and implement labour market policies to achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all.

Minister Grange affirmed the commitment of the Government of Jamaica to “continue to remove obstacles that prevent women from contributing to economic activity — especially as we begin the process of building back stronger from the effects of the covid-19 pandemic.”

The Minister added that “In building back stronger we must all put stronger focus on creating real gender equality because that will translate into gains for all of humanity.”

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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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