Kingston, October 19 - The Honourable Olivia Grange Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport today announced Fort Rocky in Port Royal as Jamaica’s first Entertainment Zone.
Entertainment zones are areas in which any legal entertainment and sports activities can be staged any time of day or night unhindered as long as the organisers are mindful of the historical values of such sites.
Minister Grange said entertainment zones represent promising economic opportunities through public/private sector partnerships and called on the private sector to take a good look at the opportunities on offer.
While providing an avenue for more opportunities for people in the entertainment business, the Zones which are typically located far away from residential areas, also neutralise the problem of noise nuisance for citizens.
Miss Grange said that the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the Town and Country Planning Authority had endorsed the Ministry’s declaration that Fort Rocky would be Jamaica’s first Entertainment Zone.
She said the Ministry was working with NEPA to ensure that Jamaica’s cultural heritage sites were preserved and utilized in a manner that derives cultural and economic value to the nation. Fort Rocky is one of Jamaica’s Heritage sites.
Two other entertainment zones currently on stream will be located outside of the Corporate area.
Speaking at a press conference to launch Jamaica Carnival 2018, the Culture and Entertainment Minister said Carnival in Jamaica had been the fastest growing carnival in the Caribbean. The partnership over the past year between the Ministry of Culture, Gender Entertainment and Sport and the Ministry of Tourism underscored the understanding thatcollaboration was the way to propel a growing industry which already was contributing to the creative economy.
She said Jamaica Carnival 2018 was about to be activated with the first band, Xaymaca International set to launch November 11, Exodus on November 18, Bacchanal in January 2018 and Jamaica Carnival also in 2018. “The Carnival atmosphere will spread all over Jamaica although the main Carnival events are held in Kingston– the UNESCO designated Creative City of Music,” the Minister said.
Minister Grange said it was important to emphasize that Government is reinforcing entertainment in Jamaica as a major source of growth and development and that Reggae Month and Carnival are two of the major projects under the rubric of festival tourism that will be strengthened in the upcoming year.
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