Seated at the podium (from left) are producer/artiste manager Clifton 'Specialist' Dillon, head of the Reggae Studies Unit, UWI, Dr Carolyn Cooper; Minister of Culture Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, Prime Minister Bruce Golding and reggae singer and widow of the late Bob Marley, Rita Marley.

As promised by Minister of Culture, Olivia "Babsy" Grange, at the recent launch of the Reggae Academy Awards, February will be declared Reggae Month. On the advice of Prime Minister Bruce Golding, the Governor General, Professor Kenneth Hall, will make the official proclamation.

This announcement was made by the prime minister yesterday at a press conference at the Office of the Pprime Minister called to officially brand the month.

The prime minister also told the large contingent of music industry and media personnel that this year's inauguration of February as Reggae Month, will be a prelude for a year-long celebration in 2009 to mark the 50th anniversary of the birthday of reggae music. It was also announced that a football match between the Reggae Boyz and Costa Rica, will form part of the month's celebration.

"I have written to the Governor General advising him to issue a proclamation declaring the month of February Reggae Month, and I am assured that that proclamation will be issued within the next few days so that you will have full authority to put the programme together," Prime Minister Golding announced.

"There are a number of things," he added, "that we intend to do during the course of the month, and bear in mind that next year will be a really grand year. Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the birth of reggae, and therefore is a good thing that we are going to have a run from this year so that we can really bust out things next year and make it the real big showcase that we want it to be."

The prime minister took the opportunity to appeal to the stakeholders in the music industry to establish a framework for greater protection and ownership of the music and to ensure that this period of celebration provides an avenue through which to promote a campaign for nation branding.

"As Minister Grange said, reggae is more than just a beat, it is our indigenous creation, it is our expression, it's our musical voice in the world. And therefore, during the month of February what we want to do is to go beyond just the sessions and the bashments, we want to examine reggae through academic means, through historical lenses," Prime Minister Golding said.

Some of the activities slated for the first observation of February as Reggae Month, include the hosting of the Reggae Academy Awards, the Bob Marley Photographic Exhibition, Africa Unite/Smile Jamaica Youth Symposium, the annual Bob Marley Lecture, the African Film Festival, the Reggae Film Festival, the annual Irie FM Reggae Music Awards and the Bob Marley Creative Expression Day.

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