KINGSTON, Jamaica — Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says that actor Michael Rainey Jr, best known for his role as Tariq St Patrick on Starz network’s hit drama series Power, is an ideal candidate to become an official youth ambassador for the country.

The minister made this announcement during a recent courtesy call at his New Kingston offices, where the young actor, who was accompanied by his mother Shauna Small, publicist JLexy Brooks, and management assistant Jared Pessoa, were in attendance.

“This is a good moment, I am really inspired [by you] myself. The response you probably expected is that he is great for tourism, and you are, but you are much more than that. Michael is great to be a role model for Jamaica’s youth who need to have a sense of what they can accomplish,” Bartlett said.

“I would love to have him have another conversation with us, which is beyond tourism, where we can look at him in a more extensive way to give inspiration not just to a market that is going to need his image but to a country that is going to need his kind of efforts, especially coming out of COVID-19,” he added.

Rainey, who recently received his Jamaican citizenship, is a lead actor on Power Book II: Ghost, which is currently the Starz network’s most-watched series.

Despite his early rise to fame, the 20-year-old Rainey says his primary goal is to use his platform to inspire youth to acknowledge their endless potential and to work hard to achieve their dream careers.

“The big thing in my career is being able to inspire kids my age or even younger than me to know that they can do whatever they want in life. Whether it is to be an activist, or play basketball or play football or be a doctor or anything.

“I just want to make sure kids know that it is possible and there is always faith in anything you do. That is definitely what I enjoy the most about being in that position,” Rainey said.