The Jamaica Reggae Industry Association honoured Reggae pioneers at the JaRIA Honour Awards held on February 25 at the Courtleigh Auditorium. The JaRIA awards are held annually to celebrate the contribution of some of Jamaica’s most outstanding music professionals, past and present.
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon Olivia “Babsy” Grange, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her dedication to the music industry. The award was presented by CHASE Director, Novlette Howell.
The CHASE Fund committed $3 million to support the mounting of the 10th renewal of “Reggae Month” in February. Contribution to Reggae Month falls under the Fund’s Arts and Culture portfolio.
Chief Executive Officer of the CHASE Fund, W. Billy Heaven, said that JaRIA continues to provide a stage not just for quality entertainment but also the opportunity to learn more about reggae music and the industry. “I thank JaRIA for encouraging serious dialogue on maximizing the potential of the industry at its Music Symposium, but most importantly I thank them for broadening the participation of Jamaicans by continuing to make many of these activities free to the public,” he said.
The Reggae Month enterprise has been strengthened with the assistance of funding from the CHASE Fund in the sum of approximately $30 million over nine years with special consideration given to the Reggae Industry Honour Awards.
