Government of Jamaica
Kingston, 10 August 2021 (JIS) - No permits will be granted for entertainment events over the next three weeks, as the Government moves to contain the current spike in coronavirus cases. From August 11 to August 31, no small or large events such as concerts, parties, tailgate parties and round robins will be permitted.
Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, made the announcement during a digital press conference on Monday (August 9), where he outlined the revised coronavirus containment measures.
He stressed that the new measures will be strictly enforced, and warned that the police will close down any event that is being held illegally.
During this period, nightclubs and certain places of amusement are to be closed.
In addition, gyms, restaurants, zoos, parks, and bars are to operate at a maximum of 50 per cent of capacity. Capacity is determined by using the physical distance rule of one person to every 40 square feet of useable space for the area.
Mr. Holness further informed that no more than 50 persons will be permitted to physically attend a wedding and for annual and extraordinary general meetings of entities, the maximum number of persons permitted to attend physically is 50.
In terms of events hosted by public entities such as handover ceremonies, launches, groundbreakings, and opening ceremonies, Mr. Holness informed that no more than 30 persons are permitted to be in physical attendance.
The limit of 30 persons remains in place for funeral services and burials. This includes mourners as well as clergy and any support personnel. Burials can be done only on Mondays to Fridays during the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the time for conducting burials continues to be limited to 30 minutes,” the Prime Minister said.
Turning to travel protocols, Mr. Holness informed that these remain the same, where all persons are required to present a negative COVID-19 test within three days prior to their travel date. Additionally, the list of countries from which travel to Jamaica is not allowed remains the same. These are: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, India, Paraguay, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago.
The Prime Minister noted, however, that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Ministry of Health & Wellness are working on arrangements to facilitate the entry of university students from Trinidad and Tobago, who are pursuing studies in Jamaica.
Mr. Holness said that given the recent “exponential” rise in the number of confirmed covid-19 cases in the country, “we are now clearly seeing our third wave”.
He said that the Government’s focus in crafting the measures for the next three weeks has been on controlling the spread sufficiently to allow for the reopening of schools to facilitate structured face-to-face learning in September.
“As it stands now, this goal is severely challenged. We are still hopeful that we would be able to have some form of reopening. We are targeting mid-September, but it really depends on what we, as Jamaicans, do in the next three to four weeks,” he said.
The Prime Minister again implored persons to do their part in controlling the spread of the virus by adhering to the infection prevention and control measures. These include wearing a mask while in public, maintaining a distance of at least six feet from other persons, and frequently washing or sanitising hands.
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Kingston, 14 May 2021 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced that Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, and the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, will address jointly an international webinar to mark Africa Day on May 25.
Minister Grange said:
“The webinar is being presented by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, through the National Council on Reparation, and the South African High Commission in Jamaica as part of the ‘Conversation with Africa’ series.
The theme of the webinar for Africa Day is ‘A Conversation with Africa: A Destiny of Peace, Prosperity, Strength and Unity.’”
Prime Minister Holness, in his letter of invitation to the South African President stated, “Jamaica has enjoyed a special relationship with the Republic of South Africa and shares a tradition of pursing racial equality. The work continues and, in this phase, we remain focused on forging even stronger strategic, economic, cultural and political cooperation between our countries.”
Prime Minister Holness and President Ramaphosa will be joined by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith and by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, the Honourable Dr Grace Naledi Pandor.
Minister Grange and the South African High Commissioner to Jamaica, Her Excellency Lumka Yengeni, will co-host the event.
The webinar begins at 10:00 a.m. (Jamaica time)/5:00 p.m. (South African Standard Time) and will be broadcast live on the PBCJ cable and YouTube
platforms; as well as on the Facebook page of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and other broadcast and social media platforms.
In highlighting the importance of the Africa Day webinar, Minister Grange said: “Africa Day celebrations across the world are intended to commemorate and acknowledge African solidarity, unity in diversity, creativity, challenges and successes. It is a chance to reflect on the progress that we have made through cooperation in anti-Apartheid and liberation struggles and an opportunity to craft meaningful agendas, in unity, towards finding solutions to the challenges we face as one people.”
The Africa Day webinar will be a two part event on May 25. More details will be announced at a later date.
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Kingston, 15 April 2021 (OPM) - Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government plans to invest in the entertainment industry.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday (April 13, 2021), the Prime Minister also encouraged major stakeholders in the industry to join the Government in developing strategies for the delivery of their product; this as the industry is expected to attract many as the country transitions out of the pandemic.
Prime Minister Holness also noted that part of the capital investment that the Government will have to make is in entertainment spaces, venues and locations which he acknowledges are insufficient.
“Presently, we have not designated spaces for entertainment, so you might have a dancehall right beside a church or a clinic within residential areas, and we disturb our neighbours. What the pandemic has revealed is that we need to reconfigure our society. We need to sit with the stakeholders and plan to build a new Jamaica, a Jamaica in which entertainment can be accommodated, and this is a conversation that we need to have without anybody saying that we are fighting dancehall,” said Prime Minister Holness.
The Prime Minister says he is acutely aware of the hurt and suffering faced by many in the entertainment industry due to the significant loss of resources. In that regard, he said the Government sees music and culture as a part of our economic recovery, and as such, will allocate funds towards the industry.
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Kingston, 14 March 2021 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says the monument to Violet Moss Brown is set to become the first in a series to mark Jamaica’s Diamond Jubilee.
Mrs Moss-Brown, who was affectionately called ‘Aunt V’, was record holder for world’s ‘Oldest living person’ and ‘Oldest living woman’.
Minister Grange said the monument — a life-size bust — will be erected in Duanvale, Trelawny, where ‘Aunt V’ lived.
The Minister said arrangements were being made to “have the bust ready for unveiling on the anniversary of ‘Aunt V’s passing.”
‘Aunt V’ died on September 15, 2017 at the age of 117 years and 189 days — a few months after she officially claimed the title of world’s ‘Oldest living person’ on July 27, 2017.
Minister Grange said the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport will work with the Trelawny Municipal Corporation to honour ‘Aunt V’.
The Mayor of Falmouth, His Worship Councillor Collin Gager, said Palmers Crescent, the road on which ‘Aunt V’s home is located, will be renamed in honour of the supercentenarian.
Jamaica celebrates 60 years of Independence in 2022. The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport — which will lead the celebrations — will host a series of activities in the lead-up to the official period of commemoration.
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Kingston, 22 May 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced that Telethon Jamaica has so far raised J$60 million to purchase Personal Protective Equipment for frontline workers.
The Minister made the announcement as she accepted a symbolic cheque for J$2 million from Restaurants of Jamaica Group (operators of KFC and Pizza Hut in Jamaica) on Friday (today) at her offices in New Kingston.
Minster Grange said:
“We are now up to 60 million dollars in collection and pledges. We have collected most of what has been pledged and today, KFC have delivered their cheque to us.”
The Brand Manager for Restaurants of Jamaica, Andrei Roper said:
“It was necessary for us to step up and make a contribution like this to show how much we value the contribution being made by those persons who are putting themselves at risk for all of us on a day-to-day basis.”
Minister Grange said she was heartened by the support that Telethon Jamaica continues to receive. “I am really happy to see how Corporate Jamaica and the Jamaica Diaspora have contributed tremendously to this effort,” said Minister Grange who highlighted the generosity of the National Association of Jamaican and Supportive Organisations in the United States which originally pledged US$10,000 but wired US$11,000 into the account.
Minister Grange said the effort has also benefitted from sizeable contributions by the Bob Marley Foundation, Jamaica Cooperative Credit Union League, Ziggy Marley, Rohan Marley, Alacran, Keith Duncan, the St Thomas Renaissance Foundation, Joe Bogdanovich, Usain Bolt, Blackpoint Electronics, DAN Industries and Robert Livingston.
The Minister said the process of transferring the money collected to the National Health Fund, which is the government agency procuring PPEs for frontline workers, has started.
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Fund, Mr Everton Anderson, said the Telethon has really helped to equip frontline workers with the gear they need.
Mr Anderson said:
“To date, we’ve received in the region of US$80,000 yesterday, another US$47,000 prior and about J$12 million. This is a major initiative and a successful initiative and we must commend all the persons involved in coming up with this idea. It has really brought overseas Jamaicans, individuals and businesses, together, doing something positive for Jamaica and the health team, every single health worker, appreciates this.”
Minister Grange also thanked members of the entertainment community, at home and abroad, for contributing their time and effort towards equipping frontline workers with PPEs.
“A number of Jamaica artistes came on board and continue to give support,” said Minister Grange.
She said that the Telethon Jamaica Highlights show that will be broadcast on national television and on social media across the world on Monday, May 25 will feature some of the artistes who were not in the original broadcast.
The Minister said that people will be able to make a contribution to the effort to provide PPEs for frontline workers while enjoying the music.
“It’s not only about the money,” said Minister Grange. “It’s also about sharing with others the inspiration that will come from the performances that we will see as we stand together in this time.”
The two-hour Telethon Jamaica Highlights Show will be broadcast and streamed online from 5pm on Monday on TVJ, 1 Spot Media, PBC Jamaica, OnStage TV, The Gleaner’s Website, VP Records’ YouTube channel, Caribbean Elite Magazine’s YouTube channel, Jamaicans Inspired UK Social Media Platforms, CEEN TV, C Core TV New York, Reggae Social Media Facebook page, Live Reggae TV’s Facebook page, Flexx FM Miami, Reggaeville’s Facebook page, SLEEK Jamaica’s Instagram page.
To make a donation online, visit www.jatogetherwestand.com or www.mypaymaster.com.
To donate by telephone, call 876-960-9632-4, 1-866-228-8393 (toll free from Jamaica, the United States or Canada) or +44 0808 189 6147 (toll free from UK and Europe).
Cash/cheque donations are accepted at any Paymaster location in Jamaica.
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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, 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, 9 March 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, says the Spotlight Initiative Jamaica programme will strengthen the government’s efforts to end violence against women and girls.
Minister Grange was speaking at the ceremonial signing and launch of the Spotlight Initiative Jamaica programme this morning (Monday) at the Office of the Prime Minister.
The Programme was launched by Prime Minster, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, who said the elimination of gender-based violence is “a high priority objective for the government of Jamaica.”
The Spotlight Initiative is a global, multi-year partnership involving the European Union and the United Nations focused on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls.
Minister Grange said:
“I thank the European Union and the United Nations for partnering with us on this Spotlight Initiative… It is a reflection of this government’s determination to build partnerships as we confront the major issues that affect us all. It represents an important partnership for change.”
The Spotlight Initiative in Jamaica will address violence as a public health and development issue, under the banner of family violence, with a focus on three priority areas: child sexual abuse; intimate partner violence; and discrimination against vulnerable groups, including the elderly and members of society with disabilities and special needs.
It will be a three-year programme, costing US$10.6M; and will enhance and support strategic actions being taken by the government of Jamaica to eliminate violence against women, including:
- the establishment of national 24 hour hotlines for victims, including a text line for the deaf;
- legislation to increase protection of vulnerable people such as children and the elderly;
- ongoing sensitisation and awareness-raising among the public;
- the establishment of the Gender Advisory Council which guides the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the National Policy for Gender Equality and the National Strategic Plan to Eliminate Gender-based Violence;
- and the implementation of the National Shelter Strategy for victims of intimate partner violence.
Minister Grange said:
“The Spotlight Initiative is not a quick fix or a magic wand, but it is a major part of our response to this crisis that we face in our homes and communities. While [it] will focus largely on women and girls, important efforts will be made to engage men and boys to address the toxic masculinity that is deeply embedded in the society.
There is a certain pervasive idea of masculine identity that is at the root of the high levels of violence, including gender-based violence, in our country.
This idea of masculinity that we teach and enforce causes men to see themselves as strong and women as weak. It makes them feel that they are superior to women and that they can own, control and abuse women.
It is not a good thing and we must eliminate it by changing the ways we choose to raise our boys and our girls.”
The Minister said she looked forward to a “meaningful working relationship over the next three years” with the UN and EU representatives in Jamaica; and thanked the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith for being a “great negotiator” with the multilateral agencies in the development of the Spotlight Initiative Jamaica programme.
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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.”
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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.
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