Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
CLAIMING THAT many musicians and artistes are already giving to the development of their respective communities, philanthropist and entertainer Rita Marley is challenging the Government to create a special post to assist with the development of entertainment philanthropy in Jamaica.
Mrs. Marley, who was speaking Friday on the final day of the second annual Conference on Caribbean Philanthropy in Montego Bay, St. James, suggested that the Government, through an established organising body, could offer training and other forms of support to entertainers who give to the poor.
MINISTER OF MUSIC CULTURE
"We need to have a minister of music culture," Mrs. Marley said. "The country needs to have a stable organisation as a part of the Government to see to it that whatever these artistes do is not swept under the carpet and at the same time help artistes to become part of philanthropic organisations."
She added: "It is not all about money, money is a part of it but there are things that we require such as training and grooming."
The founder of the Bob and Rita Marley Foundations, Mrs. Marley also suggested such a ministry could assist community development through the collection of royalties in the music industry.
'JAMAICAN MUSIC IS SO WEALTHY'
"Jamaican music is so wealthy, it is not Bob Marley alone making money from music. A lot of people are making big money and a lot of them cannot collect it because nothing is set up to help them," she claimed.
"Our culture in Jamaica is so strong that everywhere you go, there are people wearing red, green and gold, dreadlocks and bumming to the beat," she continued. "We have a thing that is so branded over all the world and we are still not benefiting. We are sitting on a tub of strength and so we as Jamaicans need to embrace that facility to realise that we are sitting on wealth that if we turn it around it will not only be beneficial to us but to our race."
Under the recently-established Portia Simpson Miller Cabinet, Tourism Minister Aloun Assamba has been given the entertainment portfolio.
However, it has not yet been made clear if and how the issues raised by Mrs. Marley are to be addressed under that portfolio.
