ON Boxing Day, December 26, Good Year Oval in St Thomas will play host to the second staging of Reggae Life Jamaica Music Festival.

The event is the brainchild of reggae artiste Rohan “Prophecy” Brown, who said proceeds from the event will go towards a section of the Princess Margaret Hospital in the parish.

“Proceeds will be donated to the facility for the purchase of an ultrasound machine and a computed tomography (ClT) scanner that are at the top of the hospital’s list of most-needed items,” he said.

St Thomas is regarded as one of the poorest parish in Jamaica. So in 2016, Prophecy established the Prophecy Youth Foundation to give back to low-income families with children in the parish. Through the foundation, Prophecy adopted the children’s ward at the Princess Margaret Hospital, to which he expressed his commitment to making a change to the improvement of the lives of those affected.

The Reggae Life Jamaica Music Festival will feature live performances from Richie Spice, Sizzla, Prophecy and the Reggae Life Band, Junior X, Hezron, Warrior King, Uprising Roots Band, Duane Stephenson, Bugle, Louie Culture, Vershon, Nateesha Stream, Jameik King, Jennifer Barrett among others.

“The music festival is poised to be a staple on Jamaica’s event calendar that will attract visitors from around the world to the parish annually, during the holiday season. Known for its rich history and historic sites, St Thomas is the ideal place to host this event,” he said.

The singer said through continued success of the music festival, the parish’s economic potential could see a boost in tourist arrivals. “This year, with a larger venue and an expanded line-up of artistes, patrons can treat their palate to some wholesome family entertainment for a worthy cause,” he said.

Prophecy, who also hails from St Thomas, is best known for songs like Shanty Town, Don’t Come Tell I and No Body Bags.

— Simone Morgan-Lindo