Kingston, 7 March 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has expressed sadness at the passing of the outstanding Jamaican photographer, Bryan Cummings.

Cummings, the Photo Editor for the Jamaica Observer newspaper, passed away last evening at the age of 56.

Minister Grange said:

“I wish to express condolences to the family and friends of Bryan Cummings who now mourn the passing of a truly outstanding photographer.

Brian was blessed with that eye that all great photographers possess.

His enduring legacy will be his work in sport where, through his photographs, he told the story of a glorious period in Jamaica sport, particularly track and field.

He was a well respected photographer and editor, a kind and personable man, and I want us to hold up his family and friends in our prayers at this time.”

END

Kingston, 3 March 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has said the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry and the University of the West Indies Open Campus on Sexual Harassment Training and Research is an important effort on the part of the Ministry “to give full life to the anti-Sexual Harassment legislation.”

Minister Grange was giving the main address at the signing ceremony for the MOU held at the Regional Headquarters of the UWI on February 28.

It is being implemented through the Ministry’s Bureau of Gender Affairs and the Hugh Shearer Labour Studies Institute (HSLSI) of the UWIOC.

The HSLSI will provide special training through the BGA in such areas as sexual harassment, workplace bullying, emotional intelligence, labour laws, grievance handling and good industrial relations practice.

The BGA will be invited to coordinate the general training programmes conducted by the HSLSI and to ensure participants attendance at forums and lectures.

Minister Grange said: “The main focus of the training will be on prevention. In that regard, we must create the vision of a new Jamaica where respect, tolerance, dignity, and a high self-esteem are seen as the norm for workplace behaviours.
She said the training was important as the Government put in place the legal framework to regulate workplaces to create an environment that is free from sexual harassment. An environment that is governed by comprehensive sexual harassment policies and would ensure immediate and appropriate action to deal with the allegations of sexual harassment when they arise.

“I am confident that this MOU has provided the pathway for us to take a more comprehensive look at what we are facing as a country, and develop our own solutions to overcome the problems,” the Minister said.

END

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.

END

Kingston, 14 February 2020 – The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport will offer a scholarship in the name of the late Barrington Moncrieffe tenable at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.

The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, made the announcement of the scholarship on Thursday at a memorial service at the Little Theatre in her tribute to the late former dancer, teacher and Artistic Director of the National Dance Theatre Company.

The Minister said the scholarship, for a dance student, will remove barriers to higher education which Barry Moncrieffe was committed to doing.

Minister Grange said:
“Over the years, Barry understood the importance of education and tradition bearing. He pursued a distinguished career in teaching at the Edna Manley College School of Dance where his generosity of spirit and quiet dignity impacted those who were privileged to learn at his feet. He was the consummate artist with a taste for succession planning that saw him open his heart and mind to the advantage of his many students.”

The scholarship, in the amount of $250,000 per year, will be available as of September 2020 to a student of the School of Dance who has completed the first year of the degree programme with a Grade Point Average of at least 3.0.

END

11 February 2020

Science is exciting. Science is useful. Through science we gain a better understanding of our world and devise solutions to many of the challenges that we face.

But science is an area with too few women and girls. We can change that.

This International Day for Women and Girls in Science is an opportunity to critically review and take steps to remove the obstacles that prevent women and girls from building careers in science.

We need science. And science needs more women. Let us invest in women and girls in science for inclusive green growth.

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

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.

END

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, has congratulated the Reggae legend, Toots Hibbert, who has donated a guitar the Jamaica Music Museum.

Presenting the guitar to Minister Grange, Toots said it was “one of the first guitars that I bought on my first tour of America; and I feel like I’m doing the right thing just to give this guitar [to the Jamaica Music Museum]”.

Minister Grange thanked Toots for his important contribution to the Music Museum.

“I’m inviting other Jamaican singers, songwriters, musicians, artistes to contribute artefacts and items to the Jamaica Music Museum,” said Minister Grange.

Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert is a pioneer of Reggae music.

Toots and the Maytals have produced some of Reggae's most popular hits including 'Pressure Drop', 'Monkey Man' and '54-46 (That's My Number)’.

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.

END

Kingston, 5 February 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, wants the presentation of the award for Best Reggae Album to become part of the main show at the Grammy Awards.

The winner of the Reggae Grammy is usually announced before the live annual broadcast of the Grammy Awards, but Minister Grange says it’s time for a change.

Minister Grange said:

“One of the things that I am going to work very hard to achieve is to get the Reggae category carried live on the Grammys. Reggae is featured in the main show many times, but it’s not treated as a category that is carried live. There are many other genres that are treated that way as well, so it’s going to be a tough fight, but nothing is impossible.”

Minister Grange said it will require the support of stakeholders to bring about the change. She said a similar effort, several years ago, resulted in the creation of the Reggae Grammy.

“It was a journey to even get Reggae as a category in the Grammys years ago, but we achieved it. This is now the next stage. We’re going to step it up.”

Minister Grange was speaking as she welcomed home Koffee — the 2020 winner of the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album — on Monday at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.

END