July 8, 2016

Ministry of Culture, Gender Affairs, Entertainment and Sports
4-6 Trafalgar Road
Kingston 5
Jamaica, West Indies
Tel: 876-978-7654
Fax: 876-978-7072

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KINGSTON, Jamaica – Friday, July 8, 2016 -Culture and Entertainment Minister, Honourable Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, says the Government of Jamaica, through her Ministry, will be recommencing the maintenance programme for all sites belonging to the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) starting with the Seville Great House, to be positioned at the centre of cultural activities in St Ann.

Speaking at the Media Launch of Emancipation Jubilee 2016 yesterday, Thursday, July 7, 2016, at Jewel Paradise Cove Beach Resort and Spa, Runaway Bay, St. Ann, Minister Grange said, “The Seville Great House is currently in need of repairs due to lack of maintenance over the past few years. Under this administration, the board of trustees has already indicated its intention to re-commence the maintenance programme for all sites owned or leased by the JNHT.”

In highlighting the Government’s intention for the Seville Great House, one of the sites owned by the JNHT, the Minister noted that along with resuscitating the physical structure extensive work will be done to further develop the site and to promote Jamaica’s rich cultural heritage.

Honourable Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and Honourable Shahine Robinson, Member of Parliament, North East St Ann and Minister of Labour and Social Security, each holding their enamel mug at the Media Launch of Emancipation Jubilee 2016. The event was held at Jewel Paradise Cove Beach Resort and Spa, Runaway Bay, St. Ann, yesterday, July 7, 2016

“We are going to place the Seville Great House at the centre of cultural activities for the parish and the north coast, stretching from St Mary through St Ann and onwards to Trelawny. We will see daily tours and lots of cultural events at the Great House,” Minister Grange indicated.

The Seville Heritage Park is the home of the Emancipation Jubilee celebration held annually on July 31. As the JNHT seeks to redefine the Emancipation Jubilee product to create its own distinctive flavour, this year’s event promises to be of greater and higher quality than previous years.

The Culture and Entertainment Minister noted that there will be high quality performances complimented by traditional Jamaican food. She used the opportunity to remind persons to take with them their enamel mugs for the good old Jamaican chocolate tea, a signature feature of the event.

“I urge you all, let us go now and be ambassadors who will promote this event, not as a JNHT event, but as a national reminder of the lives, struggles and successes of our fore parents, who forged a path that led to a road and now a highway, to the fulfilment of our full potential as a people,” she said.

Contact: Shanna Kay Salmon
Public Relations Officer
Email: ssalmon@mcges.gov.jm >
618-5113/978-7654