Press Release From Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport
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| The Deputy Prime Minister and MP for St James North West, the Honourable Dr Horace Chang (2nd right) and the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange (centre) share the moment after the signing of the Land Transfer instrument between the Commissioner of Lands, Cheriese Walcott (left) and the Treasurer at the Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society, Ras Lewis Brown (2nd left) for the establishment of an Elder Home for Rastafari. Also pictured is Ras Gerald Taylor, Chairman of the Benevolent Society. |
The Government has transferred land to members of the Rastafari as part of its internal reparations programme, according to the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange.
Addressing the land transfer
ceremony at the Office of the Prime Minister on Monday (today), Minister Grange
said “Today marks a significant milestone in our nation’s journey towards
healing and reconciliation. I thank members of the Rastafari community for
their willingness to engage with us as we make amends for a past wrong.”
Minister Grange said the transfer
of two plots of land in Albion, St James to establish an elder care facility
was part of a broad programme of reconciliation with the Rastafari
community. That programme started in 2017
with an official apology by the Prime Minister, Dr the Most Honourable Andrew
Holness, to members of the Rastafari community for historic state abuse
stemming from the Coral Gardens Incident of 1963.
“There is no doubt that what
happened in Easter, 1963 at Coral Gardens to members of the Rastafari community
is a stain on Jamaica’s development,” said Minister Grange, reflecting on the
more than half a century that members of the Rastafari community have lived
with the physical, psychological and emotional scars of that incident and “the
feeling that successive governments had let them down by not sufficiently
acknowledging what they had been through.”
The Minister said, “That changed
in April, 2017 when Prime Minister Andrew Holness decided to do the right thing
by taking responsibility and apologising for what happened in Coral Gardens in
1963 — before he was even born.”
Included in the Prime Minister’s apology was a commitment to establish a Trust Fund of not less than $10M for the benefit of survivors of the Coral Gardens Incident, which was established by the Administrator General’s Department as Trustee with funding from the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport in 2018. Since that time, the Ministry has contributed $122 million dollars to the Trust Fund.
Minister Grange pointed out that
during the last seven years, the Trust Fund has been administered to the
benefit of more than 30 survivors.
In addition, the Ministry has
funded the operations of an interim Elders Home, providing shelter, medical
care and general support to members of the Rastafari community.
The Ministry working alongside
the Coral Gardens Benevolent Society and the Member of Parliament for St James
North West, the Honourable Dr Horace Chang, identified the plots of land at
Albion for establishing a permanent care facility for Rastafari elders.
Dr Chang said: “I am proud to
have been a steadfast supporter of the reparatory justice programme championed
by the Government of Jamaica, including the establishment of the Trust Fund and
the provision of these lands in Albion…. This is more than a transfer of
property; it is a restoration of respect, a critical step in redressing
historical wrongs, and a foundation for the growth and empowerment of Rastafari
culture and community.”
The Commissioner of Lands, Cheriese Walcott, and Chairman
of the Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society, Ras Gerald Taylor, signed
the documents for the formal transfer of Crown Land to the Benevolent Society.
Dr Chang said he looked forward to the permanent Elders Home and praised the Benevolent Society for its “efficient, orderly, and caring operation” and for “prudently spen[ding] the funds provided by the Ministry of Culture to make the interim Home fully functional”.
Minister Grange described the
land transfer as the “latest step in the journey that is reparatory
justice.” She said the new facility
would provide “care for Rastafari elders for generations to come and serve as a
reminder to our people of the covenant between the State and Rastafari — a new
relationship characterised by respect and dignity.”
Justice is possible in this country although long in coming. Right moves. Congrats to this govt for the apology to the rastafari community and handing over of land. I trust that rastafarians will be treated with respect
ReplyDeleteJah Rastafari liveth.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it's those lands overlooking the Cornwall College playing field towards the Albion side.
I knew there were some Rastafarians living behind a home for the elderly over there.
Some mans and mans used to go there to give praises and blaze Chalwah.
Excellent move by government could be backed by making ganja/cannabis sativa just another Agricultural crop.
Stop this decriminalization confusion make it legalization.
Are we waiting on America to make it so or for those with economic power to tell Governments what to do.
Another case of he who has economic power has real political power.
Legalize Ganja with a Ganja Board established for support and guidance regarding research exports strains ,tourism etc.
Go to Nine Mile.in St Ann where tourists go to smoke the herb that Bob Marley smoked.
Go experience real community tourism best in the Caribbean it has become like a Rastafari Mecca.Stop.arresting small farmers who kept the industry alive in favour of larger commissioned and wealthy smoke house/in house cultivators new comers to the industry.
What's going on over in Sligoville St Catherine free villages in Negril Westmoreland or elsewhere??
Some a we chat too damn much and don't know what is happening in Jamaica. Asking bout this and dat is not relevant right now...as ole time people use to say nutten neva happen before the time. Give thanks for small mercies and remember that God could build the world in one (1)day but he did not and is a lesson for us to learn that patience is a virtue.
ReplyDeleteThis blog encourages people to express themselves. Make your point and leave others tk express themselves.
ReplyDeleteWell done JLP, I’ve waited to see this for so long. This alone would make me vote for them. After all, it was their government that did this dastardly act, so it’s quite fitting that they are the ones who should make amends. Not withstanding, I’m proud of them for doing this.
ReplyDeleteJustice!! Justice for Rastafari is a must! This isn’t a ‘big favour’ by the government it is the Right thing to do! And there’s more to be accomplished, there is another ‘rights issue’ that needs to be addressed and settled, so we wait to see what happens next, how long will that take?
ReplyDeleteJustice is not a governmental gift! It is a Human Right . . . We won’t give up the Fight!!
Anyho . . . Timing is Everything!! Right??
ONE LOVE JAMAICA🇯🇲