Joe still crunching Jamathon numbers
JOSEF Bogdanovich, organiser for Caribbean Love Now Jamathon, is still calculating proceeds from the benefit concert held on November 22.
The occasion, which raised money for Caribbean countries ravaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria, took place at the National Indoor Sports Centre in St Andrew.
“We have to consider pledges, ticket sales, merchandise receipts; there are a lot of moving parts here. There are also donations which are considerable as well. We want to be able to calculate the correct value, which we have to be clear about. We don’t have a number as yet that I am comfortable with to put a stamp of approval on and say: ‘This is it!’, but I would love to have that as soon as possible,” the American businessman and principal of Reggae Sumfest told the Jamaica Observer.
The show was streamed online and saw myriad Jamaicans donating cash and kind. Among the donors were Prime Minister Andrew Holness who gave US$1,500, Entertainment and Culture Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange who pledged $100,000, and Bogdanovich who gave US$15,000. Reggae Sumfest promoter Robert Russell also pledged US$1,500.
The concert also received support from members of the music fraternity who entertained altruistic patrons and donors. Among the list of performers were Beres Hammond, Beenie Man, Toots and The Maytals, Sean Paul, Third World, Jah Cure, and soca artistes Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons.
Bogdanovich pledged support from companies with which he is involved, including Downsound Records, Downsound Entertainment, Hardware and Lumber, Reggae Sumfest, Rapid Tru Value, Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records, H&L Agro, Argyle Industries, FranJam, KLE, and the R Hotel.
Other companies have pledged cooperation.
“This has been an ongoing thing. It (the concert) was a good beginning for rebuilding the fuel for several of these affected countries which we want to help,” said Bogdanovich.
Both hurricanes hit the Caribbean in September and left damage of more than US$62.87 million. From the evacuation of annihilated islands like Barbuda to the loss of power and water supplies in Puerto Rico and Dominica, more than 166 lives were claimed in the passage of the Category 5 systems.
