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