Minister Establishes Review Committee Regarding JBC Radio Archives

Following the reported theft of material from the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation’s (JBC) Radio Archives from the premises of the former national broadcasting entity, Minister of Information Culture Youth and Sport, Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange has announced the establishment of a special committee to examine the current arrangements for the safekeeping of the JBC Archives with a view to their making recommendations to ensure that the most effective and appropriate methods are employed to prevent a recurrence.
Chairing the committee is Owen James, veteran journalist and producer of Television Jamaica’s Business Week. The other members are former Commissioner of Police Col Trevor McMillan, TV and radio personality Tony Patel, journalist and historian Ken Jones, Jamaica Federation of Musicians President Desmond Young, Attorney at Law and Recording Industry Association of Jamaica President Lloyd Stanbury, TV and radio producer Laurel Hepburn and senior representatives of the Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth and Sport (MICYS) and the Attorney General’s department.
Minister Grange condemned the actions of those who committed the offence and in a strong statement assured the Jamaican public that the matter is receiving priority treatment from the Jamaican police and that the perpetrators will be found and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
The police investigations are being led by the Criminal Investigation Branch of the Half Way Tree police.
An internal review of the existing processes will also be carried out by MICYS.
Minister Grange has made a public appeal for collectors to contribute original or copies of vintage Jamaican recordings on vinyl, CD, audio tape or any other format in support of re-establishing and replenishing the audio archives to create a collection which will be properly and securely placed.
The Minister said the matter of the future custody, care and preservation of these invaluable national treasures will be examined within the context of proposals to establish a reggae museum for the benefit of the Jamaican people and the world.
The music library which was under the watch of the National Archives appears to have been stripped of 80 per cent of its content. It is suspected that the items were removed over an extended period.