KINGSTON, Jamaica – Opposition Spokesperson on Culture and Creative Industries Dr Deborah Hickling Gordon says the People’s National Party (PNP) is joining the nation and the global reggae fraternity in mourning the loss of reggae icon Max Romeo who died on Friday.

The PNP extended its heartfelt condolences to his family, loved ones and his fans around the globe in a statement on Saturday.

Born Maxwell Livingston Smith, he was one of the key artists who supported the PNP’s movement in the 1970s and travelled the island alongside fellow musicians and political activists, “using music to ignite hope and carry the message of progress to the grassroots,” the party said.

Max Romeo was more than a singer and songwriter; he was a cultural revolutionary whose music spoke truth to power and uplifted the oppressed, the party expressed.

The statement pointed to the singer’s, “Let the Power Fall on I” used in 1972 as the anthem of the People’s National Party.

“With a career spanning over five decades, his songs were deeply rooted in the struggles and aspirations of the Jamaican people. From the soulful cries of “Let the Power Fall” to the bold declarations of “War Ina Babylon”, Max Romeo used his artistry as a weapon of resistance and a beacon of hope,” the release maintained.

The PNP further shared that Romeo was a son of North West St Catherine and lived in the Treadways division with his family, many of whom have carried on his musical tradition adding that he was deeply loved and respected in his community, where his humility and artistic brilliance touched the lives of many.

Hickling Gordon remarked, “His contribution to nation building, culture, and consciousness will never be forgotten. His musical artistry will be remembered globally, but here at home, we will also remember the courage it took to lend his voice to the people’s cause”.