Durrant Pate/Contributor

The incumbent Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government is rushing to the aid of the Rastafarian community, announcing a slew of initiatives to give recognition to certain rights and privileges. 

Minister of Culture Olivia Grange used her Sectoral Debate presentation on Tuesday (June 24) to announce that Rastafari Sacramental Spaces are being developed in which members of the community can smoke and grow ganja, as part of their religious sacrament. 

She told the House of Representatives that her ministry is now engaged in discussions with officials of the Ministry of Justice and the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) on matters relating to the establishment of Rastafari Sacramental Spaces and how they should operate.

These talks are being carried out through the culture ministry liaison officer responsible for Rastafari affairs, Barbara Blake-Hannah, a celebrated Rastafarian herself. Grange emphasised that her ministry continues to enable Rastafari, the only religion created in the 20th century. 

Two St. James properties handed over

In the meantime, the minister disclosed that the Cabinet of Jamaica has approved the provision of titles to two properties in Flankers, St James and to have both donated to the Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society for their ownership and operation on behalf of the Rastafari community in St James.

The Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society was created to keep alive the memory of the Coral Gardens massacre, which took place in mid-April 1963, when police and military forces detained, tortured and killed Rastafarians throughout Jamaica. The riot reportedly started after a group of Rastafarians armed with spears, hatchets, and machetes set fire to a gas station as part of an attempted robbery. 

A skirmish broke out between the Rastafarians and the police who arrived at the gas station, resulting in the deaths of three Rastafarians, two policemen and three civilians also on the scene.

During the infamous ‘Bay Friday’ event on April 12, 1963, JLP founder and then Prime Minister Sir Alexander Bustamante gave an order to “Bring in all Rastas, dead or alive”.  

On another matter, Minister Grange told the Jamaican legislature that her ministry is also working to obtain the return to school of Rastafari students, who have been blocked from entry over hairstyles or not having had required vaccinations.