The Government of Jamaica has hired the local actuarial consulting firm of Eckler Limited to assist in the tender process for a health insurance scheme for the island’s cultural and entertainment practitioners.

Olivia Grange, minister of culture, gender, entertainment and sport, who made the announcement, advised that members of Jamaica’s local entertainment and cultural industries will soon have a dedicated health insurance scheme for themselves, courtesy of the Government. 

The minister explained that the establishment of the scheme will provide critical assistance to practitioners who have made significant contributions to the development of Brand Jamaica.

 “Wherever you go in the world, they speak about our music, and I felt it was important that, as part of our Jamaica 60 legacy… we ensure that we introduce insurance coverage for our artistes, our writers, our cultural practitioners to ensure that they benefit from what they have provided to this country,” she added.

Grange acknowledged that some veterans of the cultural and entertainment fraternities, who have reached an advanced stage of life, are in need of this kind of assistance.

According to the minister, “every day, we lose one of our veterans. If they are very ill or they pass, there is always an issue about dealing with the funeral; there is always an issue about dealing with the health insurance or health coverage, and I thought it was about time”.

Grange argued that the insurance coverage is a way of giving back to a community whose talents in promoting Jamaican culture on the international stage have been inestimable.