Grammy Award-winning artiste Sean Paul will be one of two recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 14th staging of the Jamaica Poetry Festival (JPF) on August 11.

Event conceptualiser Yasus Afari noted that the dancehall mega star was selected because of his impeccable contribution to the industry.

“When you look at what is happening in music, and what is happening in dancehall, specifically [we looked at] who we could salute to inspire, and Sean Paul was the most obvious choice. We want to use Sean Paul [to exemplify] someone who has a good work ethic, good attitude, he’s humble, he’s grounded… he’s not mixed up in folly. He’s an example and somebody we can emulate as a global star who still has his feet on the ground and who tries to do positive things,” Yasus Afari told the Jamaica Observer.

He added: “He’s [also] a former athlete, and because we are merging sports and the arts, again, he [comes] up as an ideal person who will help us to compose and harmonise the different elements of the festival that we are presenting this year.”

This year’s festival will take place at the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech), where it was first held.

The other lifetime achievement awardee will be Dr Alfred Sangster, who was the president of College of Arts Science and Technology (CAST) before it was renamed UTech. He was the instigating factor in establishing UTech’s Department of Sport and has presided over the Jamaica Intercollegiate Sports Association for several years.

The event founder further said that the planning process has been seamless, and several unique elements will be incorporated at this year’s event.

“The preparations have been excellent. I have to commend the UTech community… We have been meeting fairly regularly; we have the input from the Syncronized Swimming Association of Jamaica and Jamaica Volleyball Association, because this time we are fusing sports and arts. We are having synchronised swimming to poetry, and what we call a poetic volleyball demonstration and we will have the regular creative arts and drumming workshop,” he said.

Another very important aspect of JPF 2024 is the charity dinner at the UTech Hotel, that will precede the main show. Proceeds will be in support of mental health. In previous years JPF supported the Jamaica Association for the Deaf (JAD) and Jamaica Society for the Blind (JSB).

The showcase will feature feature Yasus Afari, Blossom Omeally Nelson, Steppa, Jazmin “Jazzt J” Headley (international child star), Herbie Miller, Professor Clinton Hutton, Hugo Barrington, Denise Brown, Ossie Gee (UTech student), Dr Michael Abrahams, Simone Absolom Gayle, and a special surprise guest.