Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Ministry of Culture and Entertainment says it is far advanced in its development of entertainment zones across Jamaica.

The ministry is now to take control of Fort Rocky Entertainment Zone with all the major rehabilitation and refurbishment work completed. Fort Rocky will be officially opened in the next few weeks. Seville in the garden parish of St. Ann, another entertainment zone is being opened for large scale events having completed rehabilitation during the pandemic.

It will be first of several entertainment zones in St Ann, which can handle major crowds and has a sizeable event parking capacity. JAMWORLD in Portmore, St. Catherine is another of large entertainment zone venues that is being prepared for the upcoming Christmas/New Year entertainment season.

Promotors lining up for JAMWORLD

Already, the ministry have a list of promoters waiting to host their events at JAMWORLD. Culture and Entertainment Minister Olivia Grange says her ministry is getting work done and mission accomplished in building out entertainment zones not just in Kingston, but in communities across the island.

Speaking at the recently held Sterling Music Awards at Swallowfield Chapel in Kingston, Grange said she is looking forward to more gospel events in Jamaica and more gospel music videos being filmed at this entertainment zone.

She highlighted that entertainment zones and specific event spaces with music, dance, religious festivals and celebrations in communities provide a sense of kinship that Jamaicans have moved away from over the years and which has made the island an authentic tourism destination.

“This is not sun, sea and sand only but a place of real-ness that the Ministry of Tourism’s own study has found that tourists crave in their sojourns to Jamaica. Ladies and gentlemen, we have an awesome task ahead of us, to revive our communities again in love, peace and with uplifting music,” Minister Grange declared.

The minister was pleased to be part of the 2023 Sterling Gospel Awards, noting that the event has been associated with and supported by her ministry from its inception.

She argued that, “the Sterling Gospel Music Awards is not any ordinary ceremony. Like the Stellar Awards held annually in the United States, this award rivals that as it celebrates the talent and the spirit of inspiration that gospel music brings to our lives.” 

Details about the Sterling Awards

The Sterling Awards hold a profound significance within the music industry and the broader cultural landscape. At its core, the Sterling Awards are a celebration of music excellence. 

An award ceremony of this type provides a platform for players of instruments, songwriters, producers, stylists, singers and their teams to be acknowledged and rewarded for their unwavering commitment to their craft.

These accolades, Minister Grange said, “not only honor the artists but also inspire them to continue pushing the boundaries of creativity, striving for perfection in their compositions and lyrical content, and sharing their authentic stories with the world.”