Red Stripe, in partnership with the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), has assembled a robust line-up of entertainment sector powerbrokers for the ‘Responsibility Now! Driving responsible consumption through the entertainment sector’ virtual town hall.

The event, which will be held Wednesday at 6:00 PM, is the first in a series of town halls to raise awareness around responsible alcohol consumption ahead of the traditionally high consumption periods.

Led by Minister of Culture, Gender Entertainment and Sports, Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, the event’s panel will include Red Stripe Head of Corporate Affairs Dianne Ashton-Smith, PSOJ President Keith Duncan, DJ Kurt Riley, Sun Nation Promotions Managing Director Philip Palmer, and Xaymaca International Director Kandi King.

The virtual town hall series is an extension of the knowledge-sharing fora initiated by Red Stripe and the D&G Foundation since 2019. The objective is to stimulate public dialogue and action around critical issues for sustainability, such as responsible alcohol consumption. With this event, Red Stripe will gain insights from key stakeholders on how to tackle overconsumption, promote a ‘whole-of-society’ approach to reducing alcohol misuse, and promote best practices within the entertainment sector.

Ashton-Smith highlighted that the timing of the ‘Responsibility Now’ conversation is ideal given the recent reopening of Jamaica’s entertainment sector and with the high alcohol consumption summer period on the horizon.

She explained, “Before the pandemic, there were over 900 entertainment events island-wide each month. We may not be back to those numbers; however, there is no denying the significant connection between Jamaica’s entertainment and alcohol industries. For many Jamaicans, alcohol consumption is a central component of celebratory moments, key milestones, major achievements, and entertainment events. Therefore, no conversation about responsible consumption can be effective without involving the key stakeholders that help to regulate and drive growth in the entertainment sector.”

Ashton-Smith further noted, “We believe that building a culture of moderation in Jamaica will require collective action from the public and private sectors as well as civil society. With the Responsibility Now series, we are continuing productive dialogue that proposes a menu of solutions and recommendations, to advance this shared mission. We believe these undertakings will support government efforts to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, and their success will be firmly predicated on continuing dialogue between all stakeholders through appropriate and ongoing consultative mechanisms.”

PSOJ’s Duncan noted, “The PSOJ continues to partner with Red Stripe on the Responsibility Now initiative because alcohol moderation is a relevant conversation that needs to be put in the spotlight at the national level. Alcohol is sold and used across several sectors – so it requires a “whole-of-society” approach in ensuring that we maintain responsible use across these sectors. Therefore, gathering several key stakeholders in the entertainment sector to explore what role they can play in changing how Jamaicans consume alcohol is a first step in the right direction.”