Kingston, 7 December 2018 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced that the Jamaica Cricket Association will be among the first set of national sports associations to roll-out a national programme for safeguarding and protecting children in sports.

Minister Grange made the announcement at the St Catherine Cricket Association Awards Function in Twickenham Park on Thursday (December 6).

The national programme for safeguarding and protecting children in sport is being coordinated by the Inter-Ministerial Task Force established by Minister Grange earlier this year, among other things, see to it that “children in sport are not harmed in any way; and that fit and proper people are involved in all areas of children’s sport.”

Minister Grange said the Task Force has been considering several initiatives to safeguard and protect children in sport including mechanisms being implemented through the Jamaica Cricket Association in collaboration with UNICEF and Cricket West Indies.

“Based on the assessment of those initiatives and following discussions, I am pleased to announce that the Jamaica Cricket Association has agreed to be part of the first set of national sport associations to roll-out a national programme for safeguarding and protecting children in sports,” said Minister Grange.

The Task Forces comprises several stakeholders including the Child Protection and Family Services Agency, the National Parent Teachers’ Association, the various schools' sports associations, local sports governing bodies, as well as government ministries and agencies.

Kingston, December 5, 2018 – Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and Chairman of the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced that the Youth Advisory Committee of the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO has received a grant for US$15,000.

Minister Grange made the announcement at a ceremony during which the Universal Service Fund (USF) handed over laptops and tablets to the Committee on Wednesday at the Ministry’s Trafalgar Road offices.

The grant was given under UNESCO’s Participation Programme.

The Participation Programme functions as a vital complement to UNESCO’s regular activities by analysing, evaluating and facilitating the implementation of national, sub-regional, inter-regional and regional projects submitted by Member States and NGOs directly related to the activities of the organisation.

“Youth is one of the priority areas of the Participation Programme and this grant will equip the Youth Advisory Committee and enhance the work of its programmes,”

Minister Grange said.

In commenting on the donation from the Universal Service Fund, Minister Grange said that it follows representation at all levels in support of the work of the Youth Advisory Committee Secretariat.

“The Secretariat is moving to implement projects towards empowering youth at risk, including young boys between the ages of 5 and 18 who struggle academically; and teenage mothers who need to be steered towards the programmes of the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation,” Minister Grange added.

The Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation was recognised by UNESCO for helping adolescent mothers to continue their education and was awarded US$50,000 to help further its work.

Kingston, December 5, 2018 – The Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport says Gaynstead High School in taking both the Senior and Junior titles in the ISSA Urban Area Netball Competition, “was simply magnificent.”

Minister Grange’s comment follows the Finals of the Competition which took place at the Leila Robinson Courts at the National Stadium yesterday (December 4) and which saw Gaynstead Senior Team beating St. Catherine High School and the Junior Team topping Norman Manley High School.

“My feeling is one of ecstasy but this accomplishment by Gaynstead has been coming given the way their netball teams have been performing in recent years and I would like to think that their play has been aided even further by the netball court that we provided the school in 2017 through the Sports Development Foundation.”

Miss Grange, also a past head girl, said she was looking forward to Gaynstead representing Jamaica in the second staging of the regional AFNA Champion of Champions High School Netball Tournament as result of being crowned Jamaica’s urban area “school girl netball queens”.

“While I am still cheering for my alma mater, I wish also to commend St. Catherine High School and Norman Manley High School for their competitive play in the Finals and I say well done to all the schools and coaches.

London December 2, 2018 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment & Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has congratulated Jamaica’s Dalton Harris on winning The X Factor talent competition in the United Kingdom on Sunday (today).

Minister Grange said Harris’ win was a “well deserved victory for a young man with immense talent who works very hard.”

Minister Grange — who attended the final of The X Factor on her way from a meeting of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Republic of Mauritius — said Harris’ victory “caps a very good week for the promotion and celebration of Jamaican musical talent.”

Minister Grange said:

“Dalton’s victory comes at a time when the world is celebrating Jamaica’s most important musical creation, Reggae, which UNESCO added to its list of intangible cultural treasures for humanity. And here comes another Jamaican treasure in the form of Dalton Harris who has now won The X Factor, after winning our local Rising Star, has shown to the world the kind of talent we produce in Jamaica and is now set to become a global megastar. I couldn’t be happier for his success.”

END

Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius December 2, 2018 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment & Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has congratulated Clarendon College on winning the DaCosta Cup.

Clarendon Colleague won the title by defeating Cornwall College 2-1 in the final at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Saturday.

Minister Grange said:

“I am delighted to send congratulations to Clarendon College for their victory in the DaCosta Cup final.  I also commend the Cornwall College team for a very exciting match and a good season.  We’ve seen a high standard of play during this school boy football season and that’s a very good sign for Jamaica’s football.”

It was Clarendon College’s eighth DaCosta Cup title.

END

Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius December 1, 2018 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment & Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has congratulated Kingston College on winning the Manning Cup.

Kingston College prevailed 3-2 over St George’s College in the corporate area schools football final yesterday at the National Stadium.

Minister Grange said “it was a very entertaining match, it was of a high standard, and will be remembered for a very long time. All the young players on both teams deserve our praise, but special commendation to the Kingston College team on this historic victory.”

It was Kingston College’s first Manning Cup title in more than 30 years.

Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius November 26, 2018 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has arrived in the Republic of Mauritius for the 13th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage which began today (Monday, 26 November).

The Committee will consider, among other things, Jamaica's submission for the inscription of Reggae music on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 

According to Minister Grange, “Reggae is uniquely Jamaican.  It is a music that we have created that has penetrated all corners of the world.  It is important that we safeguard and protect Reggae music.” 

Jamaica’s nomination is one of 40 to be decided on by the Committee which ensures the implementation to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003). 

The Convention promotes the safeguarding of traditions and living expressions handed down from generation to generation, including oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts. 

Minister Grange, who is first Jamaican Minister to be elected to the Committee, says she’s “happy to make the case to UNESCO for the inscription of Jamaica’s Reggae Music as our intangible cultural heritage.” 

Minister Grange said the intention is to ensure that “Reggae music is recognised worldwide as the creative output of the Jamaican people.” 

The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity now has 399 elements including Maroon Heritage of Moore Town which was inscribed in 2008. 

The Committee will end its deliberations on Saturday, 1 December 2018.  

END

Kingston, November 21, 2018 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange says she is pleased that the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission will benefit from the Energy Efficiency Project being implemented across government.

The project which is being executed under the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programme involves a complete overhaul of the JCDC’s Corporate Offices’ air conditioning system and an upgrade of its electrical infrastructure. 

Speaking today at the Signing Ceremony for the Memorandum of Understanding between the PCJ and the JCDC Minister Grange said, “This initiative of the PCJ is a demonstration of joined-up government at work and that government is committed to building out a more energy efficient society.” 

She said that outside of the industrial sector, the government is perhaps the biggest consumer of energy. 

“We live in a tropical climate where air conditioning is a very important comfort factor in the workplace environment. So whatever we can do to keep our staff comfortable and productive, we must do at the least possible cost,” Minister Grange said. 

The $31 million investment will include the installation of 49 indoor units with ventilation systems and the installation of cool roof technology. 

“Even as we as the government take the strides to improve our energy consumption we must all as individuals take personal responsibility to practice conservation measures in our homes and businesses,” Minister Grange said. 

Minister Grange also charged the staff at the JCDC to be responsible for utilising the new systems that are being installed.

-END-

Kingston, November 21, 2018 -  The Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport has said that it is not true that she had acted improperly in her appointment of the new board of directors of the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), as alleged by the Opposition Spokesperson on Sport. 

“Nothing of the sort,” Miss Grange said. 

She said: “I acted within the dictates of the Articles of Incorporation of the SDF.

“It is obvious that it escaped the Opposition Spokesperson that on June 11, 2018, the ownership of the SDF was transferred to the Accountant General in the culmination of a process initiated by the Cabinet of which she was a member in July 2015. The intention was to identify all public companies that had registered shareholders/owners other than the Accountant General with a view to transferring those shares to the Government of Jamaica. 

“On May 17, 2018, the SDF registered its Articles of Incorporation with the Registrar of Companies and the Companies Office of Jamaica. These new Articles of Incorporation reflect the Government’s ownership of SDF. 

“My appointment of the Board of Directors is in keeping with the authority accorded as per the Articles of Incorporation. 

“Anyone looking on can see that I have indulged in no acts of politicisation as there has been little change of personnel in my re-appointment of the members of the SDF Board. 

“It is unfortunate that the Opposition should issue a statement that has absolutely no basis in facts,” Minister Grange concluded. 

END

Kingston, November 19, 2018 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced the appointment of members of the Board of Directors of Independence Park Limited, Institute of Sports Limited and Sports Development Foundation. 

The appointments are for a period of two years with effect from 12 November 2018. 

Independence Park Limited

The new Board is chaired by the Honourable Michael Fennell, OJ, CD.  Mr David Shirley is Vice Chairman.  The other members are:

• Mrs Annmarie Heron
• Major Desmon Brown
• Assistant Commission of Police Terrence Bent
• Lieutenant Colonel Roderick Rowe
• Mr Lenford Salmon
• Mr Carlton Dennis
• Mr Edward Barnes
• Dr Peter Charles
• Ms Audrey Chin

 Institute of Sports

The new Board is chaired by Mr Newton Amos.  Assistant Commissioner of Police Ronald Anderson is Deputy Chairman.  The other members are:

• Mr Gladstone Wright
• Mr Emile Spence
• Mr Viswanaught Tolan
• Mrs Florette Blackwood
• Mr Ryan Foster
• Mrs Daphne Hurge
• Dr Michelle Holt
• Dr Lee Martin
• Mrs Marvalyn Campbell
• Mr Allan Beckford
• Mr Renardo Smith  

Sports Development Foundation

The new Board is chaired by Mr George Soutar.  Mr Lloyd Pommells is Deputy Chairman.  The other members are:

• Mr David Shirley
• Mr Ian Forbes
• Honourable Molly Rhone, OJ, CD
• Dr Donovan Bennett
• Mr Christopher Stokes
• Mrs Annmarie Heron
• Mr Newton Amos
• Mr Compton Rodney 

Minister Grange says she’s confident that the new Boards will advance the government’s mandate to develop sport from the grassroots to the high performance level.