Insurance to be Provided for Practitioners in Entertainment, Cultural and Creative Industries

The Government has engaged an actuarial consulting firm to assist with the tender process to provide group, health and life insurance for registered practitioners in the entertainment, cultural and creative industries.

Making the disclosure while delivering the 2023/2024 Throne Speech in Parliament, today (February 14), Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, said as a nation of innovative and talented people, it is important to provide the necessary policy support for “our people who are generating increased sustainable value from the creative sector”.

Importantly, he said, the Government is continuing its focus on addressing gender-based violence, and a third Government of Jamaica shelter will be renovated and retrofitted to become fully operational and provide a “confidential and safe” space for female victims/survivors of gender-based violence in the Western region by December 2023.

“Consequent on Parliamentary approval of the amendments to the Firearms Act, drafting instructions have been issued for further amendments to be made to the Domestic Violence (Amendment) Act, based on inputs provided by the Ministry of National Security,” the Governor-General noted.

He said that the Jamaica National Sport Registry will be launched to provide a framework to “strategically support” the priorities of the National Sport Policy, for the coordinated development of sport and to promote opportunities for economic development and prosperity through the industry.

The Governor-General pointed out that the Government collaborated with the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association to “successfully host” the 49th Caribbean Free Trade Association Athletics Championships (CARIFTA Games), during April 2022.

That was the first regional meet in the Caribbean since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and 26 countries participated, with Jamaica finishing at the top of the medal table with 45 gold, 29 silver and 18 bronze – a total of 92 medals.

“The success of our junior athletes at the CARIFTA Games was matched by the performances of our senior athletes at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where Jamaica placed third on the medal table with 10 medals – two gold, seven silver and one bronze. This was highlighted by another 1-2-3 sweep by our outstanding female 100m sprinters,” the Governor-General said.