Kingston, 1 June 2020 – The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport has been plunged into mourning this morning, upon learning of the death overnight of the former Permanent Secretary, Alison McLean.

Minister, the Honourable Olivia Grange, said the news came as a shock:
"This really breaks my heart. Alison was the consummate professional in a career which spanned academics, administration and regional service.

I found her to be a rather pleasant person who had time for light hearted moments and humour.

I consider her death untimely as I am convinced she had much more to contribute to her country and the region.

We are certainly grateful for a life that was distinguished by service to country and region.”

Alison McLean was a former Business Development and Organisational Development Executive who successfully changed career paths to serve as the first Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

She was recognised and highly respected for her fearless advocacy for human rights and environmental stewardship. She blazed an unrivalled trail of activism and her unbridled passion for good corporate governance has been exemplified by many here in Jamaica as well as the wider Caribbean region.

Minister Grange added:
“I hail her contribution as a true gender champion, having led the charge as Head of UN Women, Multi-Caribbean Office.

On behalf of the government, I extend deepest condolences to her immediate and extended families, including our family in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.”

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Kingston, 22 May 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced that the cleaning of the statues of the nation’s founding fathers — The Right Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante and the Right Excellent Norman Manley — at St William Grant Park in Downtown, Kingston will be this year’s National Labour Day Project.

The Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, will lead a “small and social distanced team, taking all the safety precautions that will work to clean up, fix up and plant around the statues of the two National Heroes on Monday,” said Minister Grange.

The cleaning of the statues, which is quite an involved technical process, has already begun under the management of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust which is mandated to maintain and extend the life of national monuments as part of its conservation programme.

The scope of work for the National Project also includes repairs to the base of the statues, repair of electrical conduits and landscaping.

Minister Grange said the National Labour Day Committee was “careful to select national and parish projects which can be implemented by small teams, without putting anyone’s health at risk, while honouring the aim of the annual Labour Day observance which is to celebrate work and workers and volunteering our labour to make a difference in our communities.”

Labour Day is being observed on Monday, May 25 under the theme, Labour At Home: Clean Up, Fix Up, Plant Up!

Minister Grange is urging Jamaicans to work on their homes as the country prepares for the start of the hurricane season.

Parish projects, to be led by Mayors across the country, include the cleaning of the monument in tribute to National Hero, the Right Excellent Sam Sharpe, in Montego Bay, St James as well as the cleaning and sanitising of the Lucea Market in Hanover and the Junction Market in St Elizabeth.

Clean up and Fix up work will take place at the Mandeville Police Station in Manchester, the St Ann’s Bay Police Station in St Ann, the Savanna-la-Mar Fire Station in Westmoreland and the Indigent House in Martha Brae, Trelawny.

The Municipal Corporations in St Mary and Portland will focus on the infirmaries in their respective parishes.

The Clarendon Municipal Corporation will fix up and plant up the Mitchell Town Park while in St Thomas, the Municipal Corporation will build garbage receptacles in Airy Castle & Leith Hall and construct a bus shed at Prospect.

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Kingston, 17 May 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has expressed sadness at the passing of the media mogul, the Honourable Oliver Clarke.

Minister’s Statement

“I knew Oliver well and I’m very sad by his passing. He was an outstanding businessman, an outstanding Jamaican who contributed in many ways to our nation’s development.

My relationship with Oliver Clarke goes back many years, from the time when I served as a Senator. I had to interface directly with him during my time as Minister of Information and found him to be a real champion of a free press.

He was meticulous about preserving the Gleaner archives, which is today a treasure trove of information about Jamaica’s heritage.

Oliver was fun to be around. He had a great sense of humour. I recall on one occasion he invited me to lunch. I arrived expecting the usual spread only to be told by him ‘today it is just the two of us and two patties.’

Oliver Clarke never lost the common touch, and that is what endeared him to so many of us.

I offer sincerest condolences to his family and friends.”

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Kingston, 12 May 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says improvements will be made in the disbursement of Compassionate Grants at the Independence Park complex in Kingston.

People who selected GKMS/Western Union to receive their Compassionate Grants under the Government’s CARE programme began receiving their disbursements at Mas Camp in Independence Park this morning (Tuesday).

Mas Camp was selected after GKMS/Western Union outlets were unable to process the large number of beneficiaries while practising social distancing.

Minister Grange, who has responsibility for Independence Park, said hundreds of people were able to collect their grants at Mas Camp on Tuesday, but the government was concerned about the large crowd and lack of adherence to social distancing rules.

“The CARE programme is what the acronym says: the government cares about people and the funds that are being made available to these people are to assist them in this challenging period of covid-19; and it’s extremely important that they receive these contributions in a safe environment with dignity,” said Minister Grange.

Following her discussions with the Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness; the Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr the Honourable Nigel Clarke; officials of the Ministry of Health and Wellness; the leadership of GKMS/Western Union; the leadership of the HOPE programme; and the Management of Independence Park Limited, Minister Grange announced improvements to the disbursement process with effect from Wednesday, 13 May 2020.

“Mas Camp and the car park area is large enough to facilitate the number of people who will come, primarily able-bodied people,” said Minister Grange who also announced that the National Arena will be made available to more vulnerable people to collect their grants.

“The National Arena will be used to facilitate the elderly, pregnant women and people with disabilities.”

Several additional tents will be erected in the car park to provide shelter for the CARE beneficiaries.

Hydration, sanitisation and medical stations are being set up across Independence Park.

Participants in the HOPE will monitor queues to ensure social distancing is observed and give general assistance to the CARE beneficiaries.

“It’s a team that has come together to ensure that all the things that are necessary are put in place and that the people who come will be able to receive their CARE packages in a manner that is befitting each Jamaican,” said Minister Grange.

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Kingston, 8 May 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has expressed sadness at the passing of the psychiatrist, Professor Fredrick Hickling.

Minister Grange said:
"I knew Fred Hickling for many years. He was a kind and compassionate man; and certainly one of the giants in his field.

I feel deep sorrow at his passing and extend sincerest condolences to his family, friends, and the many students that he’s mentored and groomed over the years.”

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Kingston, 8 May 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says this year’s Labour Day will be celebrated under the theme, Labour at Home.

Minister Grange said the theme is in keeping with "the need for social distancing and the ban on large gatherings as we fight the spread of Covid-19.”

Minister Grange said “Jamaicans will be asked to use Labour Day to clean up, paint up and fix up their own home environments.”

However, she said the National Workers’ Week and Labour Day Committee is giving consideration to having national and parish projects which can be implemented without putting anyone’s health at risk or breaching the Disaster Risk Management Regulations.

Labour Day will be observed on Monday, 25 May 2020 as the culmination of Workers’ Week from May 17 to 25.

Workers’ Week and Labour Day activities are coordinated by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development.

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Kingston, 6 May 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has expressed sadness at the passing of Jamaica’s first international female superstar, Millicent “Millie” Small.

The ‘My Boy Lollipop’ singer died in the United Kingdom on Tuesday (yesterday) at the age of 73, after suffering a stroke.

Minister Grange said:
“Millie Small will forever be remembered as one of Jamaica’s great music icons. Under the guidance of legendary producer Chris Blackwell she brought Jamaican music to the world, with ‘My Boy Lollipop’ getting to number two on the US and UK charts in 1964 and selling seven million copies.

I recall spending time with Millie when I accompanied the late former Prime Minister Edward Seaga on a visit to Island Records in the UK. We had a lovely time with her — and her baby daughter, Jaelee, who is now an accomplished musician — and found her to be that same warm, engaging, fun-loving, bubbly and charming woman that we heard singing ‘My Boy Lollipop’; and we found that she was also a wonderful mother.

Millie’s story is one of resilience and the strength of the human spirit. She took the sweet with the bitter as she navigated the music industry at a time when Jamaican music and Jamaican female artistes were still new concepts to the world.

Jamaica will remain eternally grateful to Millie Small as she paved the way for Ska to explode on the world scene through numerous television appearances around the world, including the BBC’s Top of the Pops. Her unique sound attracted audiences around the world and turned attention on Jamaican music, which allowed other genres to break through internationally.”

Millie Small was born in Clarendon and developed an early interest in music, entering various talent competitions across the island. By her teenage years she was recording for Sir Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One label. She was then spotted by Blackwell who took her to London where ‘My Boy Lollipop' was recorded.

Millie Small’s ‘Enoch Power’ — a defiant response to British Conservative politician Enoch Powell’s anti-immigration speech — became an anthem for the newly arrived Windrush generation.

Millie Small was also an actor, painter and dancer.

She was awarded the national honour of Commander of the Order of Distinction in 2011.

Minister Grange has expressed condolences to her daughter Jaelee and other members of her family.

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Kingston, 23 April 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has expressed sadness at the passing of Professor Tara Dasgupta, the recipient of the Silver Musgrave Medal in 2019.

In her tribute, Minister Grange said “Professor Dasgupta had served Jamaica well” and that his contribution in the area of science had been “immense”.

Minister Grange recalled Professor Dasgupta’s role in the development of the Pesticide Research Laboratory at the University of the West Indies, Mona which has been analysing and monitoring pesticide levels in agricultural products and organic pollutants in the Jamaican environment.

She also lauded him for establishing the Jamaica Chapter of the Caribbean Academy of Science which promotes science and technology in the country.

The Minister has expressed condolences to Professor Dasgupta’s family and friends and to the numerous students that he guided and inspired.

Minister Grange had presented Professor Dasgupta with the Musgrave Silver Medal in October 2019 for outstanding merit in the field of Science.

The Musgrave Medals are awarded by the Institute of Jamaica, an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

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Credit Union League gives J$4 million to Covid Telethon

Kingston, 22 April 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has received the symbolic cheque of the generous contribution of the Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League to Telethon Jamaica: Together We Stand.

Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League has contributed J$4 million to the telethon which raised funds to provide Jamaica’s frontline workers with equipment to battle Covid-19.

Minister Grange, who led the team that organised the telethon, received the symbolic cheque from the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League, Mr Robin Levy on Tuesday.

Minister Grange said:
“I wish to thank the Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League for this great display of generosity. This is a real example of people helping people. Your donation of J$4 million is going a long way in helping Jamaica to battle the Covid-19 Pandemic by helping to provide much needed Personal Protective Equipment for our frontline workers.”

The Group Marketing and Communications Manager of the Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League, Ms Claudette Christie, said credit unions will continue to “work cooperatively with agencies as together we fight this dreaded virus.”

Ms Christie said:
Our credit union mantra is ‘people helping people’. This is not only true of the services that members pool their resources to provide each other. It is also true of the way we treat with our Jamaican brothers and sisters. That is why we have joined with Telethon Jamaica to assist in this fight against Covid-19 to provide well needed PPEs for health personnel and the security forces at the forefront of the fight. Our care is demonstrated in our donation of J$4M towards the fund.”

Minister Grange thanked all those across the world who have contributed to Telethon Jamaica: Together We Stand which has so far raised more than J$50 million.

The Minister said people can still contribute to the fund at www.jatogetherwestand.com or www.mypaymaster.com.

To donate by telephone, call 888-729-2455 (toll free), 876-960-9635, 1-866-228-8393 (toll free from Jamaica, the United States or Canada) or +44 0808 189 6147 (toll free from UK and Europe); or WhatsApp 876-550-1754.

Cash and cheque donations are being accepted at any Paymaster location in Jamaica or any branch of Citibank to account number 9250709218 (outside of Jamaica).

Contributions to Telethon Jamaica: Together We Stand go directly to a fund — managed by the charity, Jamaica’s Promise — to purchase Personal Protective Equipment, testing kits, ventilators and other equipment needed to strengthen the response to Covid-19.

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Kingston, 13 April 2020 – “His contribution to the popularity of Reggae music in North America has been immense,” says the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, as she paid tribute to the late broadcaster Gil Bailey.

Gil Bailey died in New York today (Monday).

Minister Grange said:

“Gil Bailey was personal friend and we worked together for several years to promote Jamaica and our music in North America. Gil became known as the godfather of New York Reggae radio, but when he just started out in the 1960s no one was playing Jamaican music on radio in America. He came along and changed that by introducing Reggae music to American radio audiences. His contribution to the popularity of Reggae music in North America has been immense.

I am truly saddened by his passing and remain grateful for the role he played in the development of Reggae music.

I extend sincerest condolences to his family, friends and fans.”

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