Jamica Village eyes 2012 Olympics
Published:Friday | June 10, 2011 | 12:00 AM
A musical honour guard of drummers pounding out some sweet beats was merely the beginning.
On Wednesday night, Usain Bolt's Tracks and Records restaurant was teeming with guests at the launch of the Jamaica Village 2012, the 10-day celebration that will showcase the finest in Jamaican food, culture and entertainment at next year's Olympic Games in London. Managing director of Jamaica Village 2012 Danielle Cameron promised that their product was indeed groundbreaking and that the village would be the definitive experience of the summer. Partners of the Jamaica Village 2012 all gave their thumbs up when called to say a word or two. But entertainer Shaggy, playing MC for the evening, kept things rolling along.
But back to the drummers. After their foot-stomping welcome, guests were then escorted inside the palatial hotspot, all its flat screens and every ampere of its surround sound effect. Statuesque dancing girls performed to whatever the DJ threw out, from rocksteady to modern dancehall. Already known for its food, the Tracks and Records chefs worked overtime to dole out juicy mini-burgers and scorching hot wings, with the complimentary cocktails cooling guests down.
And to wrap up an already entertaining evening, two of reggae's top performers, Cocoa Tea and Barrington Levy, had members of the audience going 'puuulll uuup' as they churned out some of their timeless tunes. Levy even had to do his set a cappella, but that didn't bother a soul.
With little over a year to keep planning, one can only imagine the show the world will get in London.
Guests out included: Sports Minister Olivia Grange, Opposition spokesman on Tourism Dr Wykeham McNeil, Trinidad and Tobago High Commissioner Dr Iva Gloudon, Donovan Perkins, Ryland Campbell, Vilma Charlton, Grace Jackson, Michelle Wilson-Reynolds, Charles Johnston, Harry and Ann-Marie Smith, Marguerite Cremin, Craig Powell, Leisha Wong, Stephen Price, Carlo Redwood, Tess-Marie Leon, Rolf Simmonds, Julian Patrick, Chris Vendryes, Maurice Foster, Jeremy Harding, Bruce James, Jerome Larmond, Delano Seiveright and Enid Harrow.