Letter of the Day | Tap into the cultural gold mine

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The Jamaican Government and local private-sector power brokers are still way behind and woefully lacking in investing, financially and otherwise, in Jamaica’s number one most powerful, most famous, most influential, and most sought-after product … her rich, vibrant and fantastic culture!

While tourism is Jamaica’s number one industry, it is Jamaica’s culture that has put Jamaica on the world map and, both figuratively and literally, on the world stage. From the late Millie Small to the late Bob Marley, from the late Miss Lou to the late Madge Sinclair, from the late Charles Hyatt to Carl Bradshaw, from Chris Browne to Storm Saulter, and from Leonie Forbes to Oliver Samuels, Jamaica’s stalwarts of the performing arts have made Jamaica a household name on every continent on the planet.

What Jamaica’s culture and her cultural icons have done for Jamaica is priceless!

Why, then, has the Government and/or the private sector not invested the billions of dollars necessary to take Jamaica’s movie industry, in particular, to proportions it has never before attained?

Imagine if the Government and/or private-sector companies invested in the construction of first-world movie and TV studios, akin to those found in the US, the UK, Canada and India. Such a venture, over time, would prove to be very lucrative and profitable because of Jamaica’s mystique and allure but, most of all, because of her culture. Imagine if, instead of one or two major motion pictures being filmed in Jamaica every five to 10 years, 10 to 12 movies were filmed on the island each year?

NATURAL BEAUTY

Imagine how many international film directors, movie stars, and film producers would be drawn to Jamaica if, in addition to Jamaica’s natural beauty, a film studio, akin to Pinewood Studios in London and/or Universal Studios in California, existed on the island. Imagine the employment possibilities and benefits for local film directors, local film crews and local actors that would emerge, if a world-class movie studio were located in Jamaica. Imagine how many more movies, like Dr No, Club Caribbean, and Cocktails could be filmed here, in addition to more locally produced movies, like Dancehall Queen, Third World Cop, and Better Mus Come.

Jamaica is sitting on a cultural gold mine that is just waiting to be unleashed!

PATRICK GALLIMORE