The Food, Rum and Reggae Festival will take place next Sunday December 6 and one of the headliners, dancehall firebrand, Capleton, is promising to uplift the spirits of patrons, with a high energy performance.

The event, which was initially scheduled to be held in St Elizabeth, was postponed because of the passage and devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa. The organisers have promised that part proceeds will go towards assisting the rehabilitation of the agricultural sector, which suffered significant damage.

“My performance at this festival will be highly energetic with passion and interactive with my people. So, I’m really looking forward to it as it’s a benefit concert for the people of St Elizabeth.  I don’t want my people’s energy to be low because this makes them spiritually and mentally weak and even their morals get weak when their vibe is weak,” Capleton told Observer Online on Saturday.

The other headliners of the event are Agent Sasco and singer Christopher Martin.

Asked whether the hurricane affected him personally, Capleton stated “Well this hurricane affected everyone in Jamaica in some way, so yes I was affected as well as friends and family.”

Capleton added, “I was touched by the damage and destruction that I saw, and it made me look at life deeply and appreciate life more and reminded me to be thankful and not take people or things for granted. It also made me realise how important it is to use our natural resources for electricity and also the importance of our citizens doing our own personal farming to help in emergencies like this.”

A philanthropist at heart, Capleton has always given back to the less fortunate through his foundation and funds raised from his annual St Mary Me Come From stage show.

He continues to provide relief to those affected by the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

“You know every opportunity we get, even before the hurricane, I have always been helping those in need, but I’m not the kind of person to always be highlighting things in the media. I have made several donations through my charity foundation. I have also ordered several school supplies to help children who have been affected by the hurricane,” said Capleton