Editor’s Note:
Fresh on the heels of our poignant essay, Kulcha columnist Coleen Douglas has another helping of sharp, necessary ‘thought food’ ready to serve. Equal parts critique and applicable strategy, read on for her take on the government’s recently announced concerts, set to launch in Jamaica on November 14. In this open letter to the Minister of Culture, she asks whether the timing and focus truly reflect our national priorities.
I saw the recent post by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport (MCGES) announcing a series of fundraising concerts beginning right here in Kingston on November 14. I’m in a state of bewilderment.
I have long observed that the Ministry with responsibility for Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport seems to have a certain favourite child (and it’s not Culture, Gender, or Sport). Entertainment, it seems, always gets the seat at the head of the table. This imbalance has long been visible in national priorities. Now, before this is interpreted as another “attack” on leadership, as is customary when citizens dare to raise questions, my concern stems not from malice but from a love of country and a deep worry about our present reality.
Jamaica is weary… reeling, still sweeping up, mourning, trying to make sense of what has hit us economically, environmentally, and emotionally. So hearing of a concert as the flagship fundraising initiative at this time feels tone-deaf.
Let’s start with a few practical questions:
Who will perform at this concert?
Who will attend?
And, perhaps most importantly, who will benefit?
Our artistes, Jah bless them, have already been on the frontlines using their platforms, resources, and personal funds to assist in recovery efforts. Many have donated to community drives or lent their voices to campaigns of hope and resilience. Jamaicans from all walks of life, especially those in Kingston, have been doing the same, volunteering, sharing, giving, rebuilding.
We are not short on goodwill. What we lack is logistical foresight.
We’re missing a strategic anticipation of what will be needed, when, where, and how, to ensure smooth, efficient, and resilient operations. So, I ask again – Who exactly is this concert targeting? The same exhausted public that has been giving nonstop for the past week? The same citizens who are suffering from survivor’s guilt, desperately trying to support recovery efforts in the west, when some are still unable to locate relatives?
A fundraising concert — complete with the usual trappings of VIP and VVIP sections — would be laughable. If only it weren’t so tragic. What will it cost to stage such a show? Could those funds not be redirected to something more meaningful? Let us pause and reassess.
The remaining four concerts, to be held in cities where we have a strong diaspora, may indeed have merit. Those audiences have a greater capacity to give, and could make a genuine contribution to national recovery. But these concerts require strategic planning, coordination, and alignment with larger recovery goals.
Let us move beyond the desire to “newsmake” and focus instead on doing something truly meaningful and helpful.
A Missing Gender Lens
Or is this another case of the Ministry’s default reflex – When in doubt, throw a concert?
While we’re reflecting, I urge you, Minister, to give some attention to your other portfolio responsibilities, particularly those related to Gender.
Have you gathered any gender-disaggregated data from the affected communities?
Have you considered the heightened risks women and girls face in the aftermath of a disaster?
Have you mobilised targeted relief efforts for them — from basic needs like underwear and sanitary products to ensuring their safety and security in shelters and communities already marked by gender-based violence?
And what mechanisms exist (beyond optics and hashtags) to ensure these initiatives truly address the urgent realities on the ground?
I do not doubt the good intentions. We Jamaicans have always turned to music in times of hardship. It is our instinct to chant, to drum, to sing, to gather, to heal… But intention does not always translate into impact. Healing is not the same as helping, and visibility is not equivalent to effectiveness.
When the lights dim after this concert, what will remain?
How will the funds be accounted for?
Through what transparent mechanisms will they reach those most in need?
Too often, we have seen the rhythm of “fundraising events” fade before any meaningful change takes root. Might I suggest, Minister, that perhaps this is the time for innovation, not repetition. Jamaica has some of the most creative minds in the world; surely, we can design recovery initiatives more sustainable than another stage show.
Innovation Over Optics
What about leveraging the international power of our entertainment industry to attract development partnerships? Use the Ministry’s influence to engage global creative city networks in long-term recovery. Rebuild cultural infrastructure, train youth, and invest in resilience.
And, while we’re at it, might this be the perfect moment to show balance, to give some love to those other neglected siblings in your Ministry’s title? Culture, Gender and Sport are all essential to rebuilding national morale and identity.
Where are the grants for cultural preservation in damaged communities?
The outreach to women-led small businesses affected by the storm?
The investment in sports programmes that double as youth empowerment and trauma recovery spaces?
Entertainment has its place; it is one of our greatest exports and expressions of resilience. But leadership demands discernment. Knowing when to play music and when to listen to the silence. Right now, Jamaica needs listening, planning, coordination, we need empathy and practical action.
So, yes, Minister, put on the concert if you must. Call the artistes, print the tickets, tune the sound system. But as the first note strikes on November 14, I hope you’ll pause, look around, and ask yourself: Who is this really for?
Because the true measure of leadership in times of crisis is not how loudly we can sing, but how deeply we can serve.
We are not short on goodwill. We are short on logistical foresight.
We’re missing a strategic anticipation of what will be needed, when, where, and how, to ensure smooth, efficient, and resilient operations. So, I ask again – Who exactly is this concert targeting? The same exhausted public that has been giving nonstop for the past week? The same citizens who are suffering from survivor’s guilt, desperately trying to support recovery efforts in the west, when some are still unable to locate relatives?
A fundraising concert — complete with the usual trappings of VIP and VVIP sections — would be laughable if only it weren’t so tragic. What will it cost to stage such a show? Could those funds not be redirected to something more meaningful? Let us pause and reassess.
The remaining four concerts, to be held in cities where we have a strong diaspora, may indeed have merit. Those audiences have a greater capacity to give and could make a genuine contribution to national recovery. But these concerts require strategic planning, coordination, and alignment with larger recovery goals.
Let us move beyond the desire to “newsmake” and focus instead on doing something truly meaningful and helpful.
Or is this another case of the Ministry’s default reflex – When in doubt, throw a concert?
While we’re reflecting, I urge you, Minister, to give some attention to your other portfolio responsibilities – particularly Gender.
Have you gathered any gender-disaggregated data from the affected communities?
Have you considered the heightened risks women and girls face in the aftermath of disaster?
Have you mobilised targeted relief efforts for them — from basic needs like underwear and sanitary products to ensuring their safety and security in shelters and communities already marked by gender-based violence?
And what mechanisms exist (beyond optics and hashtags) to ensure these initiatives truly address the urgent realities on the ground?
I do not doubt the good intentions. We Jamaicans have always turned to music in times of hardship. It is our instinct to chant, to drum, to sing, to gather, to heal… But intention does not always translate into impact. Healing is not the same as helping, and visibility is not the same as effectiveness.
When the lights dim after this concert, what will remain?
How will the funds be accounted for?
Through what transparent mechanisms will they reach those most in need?
Too often, we have seen the rhythm of “fundraising events” fade before any meaningful change takes root. Might I suggest, Minister, that perhaps this is the time for innovation, not repetition. Jamaica has some of the most creative minds in the world; surely, we can design recovery initiatives more sustainable than another stage show.
What about leveraging the international power of our entertainment industry to attract development partnerships? Or using the Ministry’s influence to engage global creative city networks in long-term recovery projects — rebuilding cultural infrastructure, training youth, investing in resilience?
And, while we’re at it, might this be the perfect moment to show balance, to give some love to those other neglected siblings in your Ministry’s title? Culture, Gender and Sport are all essential to rebuilding national morale and identity.
Where are the grants for cultural preservation in damaged communities?
The outreach to women-led small businesses affected by the storm?
The investment in sports programmes that double as youth empowerment and trauma recovery spaces?
Entertainment has its place; it is one of our greatest exports and expressions of resilience. But leadership demands discernment. Knowing when to play music and when to listen to the silence. Right now, Jamaica needs listening, planning, coordination, we need empathy and practical action.
So, yes, Minister, put on the concert if you must. Call the artistes, print the tickets, tune the sound system. But as the first note strikes on November 14, I hope you’ll pause, look around, and ask yourself: Who is this really for? Because the true measure of leadership in times of crisis is not how loudly we can sing, but how deeply we can serve.
About the Author
Coleen Douglas is a marketing lecturer at the University of Technology, Jamaica, and founder of Reggae Rituals, where she curates cultural events and facilitates discourse on reggae and culture.
A seasoned publicist and acclaimed communications specialist, she is a notable fixture in the cultural and creative industries, working across education, media, and the arts to shape conversations on identity, equity, and cultural policy in Jamaica, the Caribbean, and beyond.
WK Admin