Members of the head table at the press launch for the 16-week One Love Concert Winter Series planned for Negril Escape. Seated from left are Carey Wallace, organizer of the event; Lesberth Williams, chairman of the Negril Cluster; Evelyn Smith, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Negril Chapter and executive manager for the Negril Chamber of Commerce, Jermaine Robinson. - Photo by Dalton Laing

WESTERN BUREAU:

Five non-governmental organisations, an early-childhood institution and several businesses in the resort town of Negril, Westmoreland are slated to benefit from the inaugural $15 million One Love Reggae Concert winter series, to be held at the Negril Escape resort.

The concert series, which will begin on November 17 with headline act Tarrus Riley, is to climax on March 2 with Grammy nominee, Jah Cure. He is expected to attract a large volume of overseas visitors and bring much-needed capital to small business operators such as the craft vendors, jerk vendors and operators of hotels and guesthouses.

Organiser, Carey Wallace, said Reggae music needs to be promoted, as it is a big part of the Jamaican culture which draws many tourists to the island. The concerts are expected to not only promote Reggae, but also to stamp Negril as the 'Culture Mecca' of the island.

"Our island is known more as the sun, sea and sand, but if we go to the far ends of the globe to Timbuktu somewhere and say Jamaica, the first thing coming out of their mouths is Bob Marley or Usain Bolt, Bobsled or something more to do with our culture and not necessarily about our warm weather, sunshine, sea or sand," Wallace said during the press launch last Wednesday.

"Here it is that our culture is our number one brand, but it is something we can use, in my opinion, to really tip the scales that we can charge at a premium price. Places like Cancun, Cuba and the Dominican Republic may charge cheaper rates but people still come to Jamaica because of this added advantage of our culture being presented to them in a very good way."

benefit recipients

Wallace, who is the operator of Negril Escape, added that the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Negril Chamber of Commerce, The Negril Cluster, Negril Coral Reef Preservation Society, Negril Environmental Protection Trust and the Ironshore Basic School on One Love Drive (otherwise called West End) will receive proceeds from each of the 16 scheduled concerts.

The concerts will be held on Tuesdays at a cost of US$20 for presold tickets and US$25 at the gate. The featured acts include Etana, Richie Spice, Tarrus Riley, Shaggy, Jah Cure and Sanchez.

The shows will start at 8 p.m and run until midnight, as the promoters plan to act in accordance with the Noise Abatement Act. Wallace said that the success of this venture will determine if it becomes a calendar event, but he is optimistic, based on the response from viewers on Facebook, Twitter and other social network websites.

Sandy West, peace corp volunteer at the Negril Environmental Protection Trust, expressed gratitude to Negril Escape for contributing to the organisation's work in trying to preserve and protect the environment.

protect the environment

"What Mr Wallace has done by donating the profits from these concerts to several of the environmental NGOs in Negril, first of all brings our work up to the forefront, which is really wonderful," she said.

"...We're not always paid for what we do to protect the environment, so every way that we can get this extra help, not only lifts our spirits but makes us feel like people are noticing and caring for the environment. The monies are used to protect the environment for future generations of Jamaica."