Minister Grange calls for expansion of Reggae Films in the Park
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, Olivia Grange, says she will engage in talks with the National Housing Trust who has responsibility for the Emancipation Park to facilitate a monthly staging of
The minister shared
the news with BUZZ in an interview after another successful
staging of its series of reggae activities which forms part of reggae month to
stimulate greater public awareness of the global genre.
She says Jamaica is known internationally particularly for its birth of the Reggae music genre, that has captured the hearts of many and she wishes to have the stagings occur outside of reggae month to better divulge its much-untold stories.
“I would like to see Reggae Films in the Park continue, not just happening within Reggae Month. I am going to speak with the National Housing Trust which operates Emancipation Park to see if we can do this every once a month because there is a vast catalogue of reggae films and stories and our music and it would be great to be able to show Jamaicans the rich offering that we have out there. The rich productions that have been done by our people as well as non-Jamaicans,” she said.
“So, I would say that we had a tremendous turn out at all the showings and tremendous response and that Reggae Month has been a tremendous success,” the minister continued.
The Minister notes that the island is filled with young and fresh talent and it is paramount that we groom our emerging creatives.
“Last week, we had a live show where we presented children of the icons and emerging artists and that’s another stellar event as part of Reggae Month. I believe that we must prepare the next generation to take over and there are many excellent young performers who are children of our pioneers and children of those who have given their talents to the country, and there are artistes who are not from their lineage but they are emerging and I feel if we do not prepare the next generation we would have done a disservice to the music industry,” she said.
The last episode scheduled for next week is expected to close with a bang that will feature a myriad of Jamaica’s talented creatives. The Minister said the precise date will be communicated soon to the public.
