This year, as the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission leads our nation in the 45th annual celebration and promotion of the colourful, engaging and often flamboyant culture of Jamaica. Once again I consider it a distinct pleasure and an honour to bring you greetings in my capacity as the Minister with direct responsibility for culture.

This year is an important year in the life of our country, the wider Caribbean and indeed the World, as we pause to observe the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Trade in Africans (TTA). This is an important mark in our history. As head of the Jamaica National Bicentenary Committee (JNBC) Professor Verene Shepherd states in a recent publication, we have more reason than most to celebrate this event, as the year 1807 marked the beginning of the process of Jamaicanization. The Black population at this time stopped seeing themselves in purely African ethnic terms but instead started to see themselves as Jamaicans. It was these same persons who collaborated in the process that resulted in a Jamaica that was free from a formal system of slavery.

This year as we seek to highlight and celebrate the contributions of these our ancestors to Jamaica and our freedom, I want to congratulate and celebrate the JCDC which has dedicated 45 years to preserving and promoting the social capital that is the Jamaican culture. We have been blessed to experience this because our ancestors fought very hard for survival. Our culture is our identity, it tells the world who we are and so therefore I commend the JCDC for having reminded us over the years of who we are. Not only does the JCDC remind us of who we are but they push us to accept who we are with pride and without fear.

Former Prime Minister Edward Seaga, who was instrumental in the establishment of the Jamaica Festival Commission (precursor to the JCDC), had seen the need for “something to mobilize the spirit of the people” and so came the annual Jamaica Festival, the first of which was held in 1963 around the anniversary period of the Independence celebrations.
Since then the Festival has undergone many developments, including the name change in 1980. One critical thing that has remained is that the agency continues to be an effective force of mobilization of the collective will and spirit of Jamaica.

The JCDC has a physical presence in all fourteen parishes, promoting research into the country’s history, developing the creative skills of the people, promoting an awareness and acceptance of our culture, celebrating the lives and achievements of our ancestors and unifying the people of the country. The Agency can also be credited with being one of the most unifying institutions of Jamaicans outside of the sporting arena.

This year marks the 110th anniversary of the birth of our first National Hero, H.E. Marcus Mosiah Garvey who, in 1938 addressing the issue of youth in development said “The morals of our young people are very loose. It is the fault of our environment and the present state of affairs. They are suffering from something that they never created…Another reason is that they are not encouraged to join helpful youth movements…Try to do what you can to make it safe for your existence. In your efforts seek always to make it interesting to the youth to help themselves.”

Today, 69 years after these words were uttered, we see the JCDC responding to this call by providing our youths with opportunities to develop their self confidence while showcasing their talents, and creating markets for these products of the Creative Economy. Many professionals today can reflect with great satisfaction on the bright start afforded them through programmes managed by the JCDC.

Come out this year and support the exciting and varied JCDC menu of events. If you are jus ‘passing through’, grasp the opportunity to get up close and personal with the real Jamaica, by experiencing who we really are. With your support, we can all live this year’s slogan, well into the future as we ‘Take it to another Level!’

One Love!

Aloun A. Ndombet Assamba, M.P.
Minister of Tourism, Entertainment & Culture