FeaturedJamaican News

Grange Sees New businesses with Britain in Cultural and Creative Industries Emerging Through UK-Jamaica Trade Fair

Photo: JIS Photographer

The Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport discusses the upcoming UK/Jamaica Fair with His Excellency Asif Ahmad, British High Commissioner to Jamaica (second left); Leon Mitchell, Group Chief Marketing Officer, Jamaica National Bank and Gary ‘Butch’ Hendrickson, CEO of the Continental Baking Company (left to right). The fair will take place on March 3 on the lawns of the British High Commission in Kingston.

The Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, has said that Jamaica will be provided with an avenue to pursue new business ventures particularly in the Cultural and Creative Industries with Britain through a UK-Jamaica Trade Fair to be held by the British High Commission in Kingston next month.

Minister Grange spoke today as special guest of the British High Commissioner, His Excellency Asif Ahmad, at a media launch for the UK-Jamaica Trade Fair held at the High Commission.

“In spite of its small size, Jamaica has received global recognition — the kind that only superpowers command and sometimes demand.

“Today, the name ‘Jamaica’ is never uttered anywhere in the world without a response.

“Our name has become synonymous with creativity and speed on the track. Put another way, the world knows, loves and respects Jamaica for its culture, including Reggae music, and sport, which many of you may know, I refer to as physical culture.”

The Minister said, “I see Jamaican creative men and women creating and capitalising on business opportunities in the UK.

“We believe in our cultural goods. We know their potency. But we have to design and package our goods in ways that make them attractive to our audience in Britain and elsewhere. Both genders should enjoy access to the cultural goods on a basis of equality to cater to the gender-differential and facilitate diversity.

“We are proud and happy to celebrate with Britain the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the Windrush, the ship that brought Jamaican and Caribbean people to start a new life in Britain and help in the development of what we then called the “Mother Country”.

“We have brought our culture to enrich Britain, and the Notting Hill Gate Carnival, spearheaded by Jamaicans is the biggest summer carnival in all of Europe, bringing together people of all nations and races to enjoy and celebrate Caribbean culture, especially in music.

High Commissioner Ahmad said the UK-Jamaica Trade fair which will take place on the grounds of the High Commission on March 3, 2018, “will be a platform for a modern UK Jamaica relationship. We have the support of leading Jamaican and British businesses who will join the fair to explore ways to make more of the opportunities between the two countries.

“Well over 500 guests are expected at the Fair, including young people, to experience food, music and other arts.”

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *