Jamaican Government Looking to Reopen Entertainment Industry This Summer

Jamaicans could be in for a sweet summer treat of freedom as the government negotiates with entertainment stakeholders about the reopening of the industry.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness revealed that the government is aware of the unfortunate ramifications that the closure of the entertainment industry has had on its fraternity and those who are also dependent on the staging of these events.

“The discussions have been constructive and encouraging, and the industry has expressed a commitment to implementing strict protocols to allow it to operate in a safe and sustainable way,” said the Prime Minister.

The recent Rick's Café Mocha Fest débâcle has reignited calls for the reopening of the industry. In making reference to the incident, Holness said, “The DRMA does not give any authority for any such events to be held, or any leniency as to how enforcement should be made… We have applied the law equally. Some people would want to use this as a defence for their case, and we must never allow the narrative that the Government is just targeting one set of people.”

He also said that last year's attempt to re-open the industry during the summer resulted in the first spike of COVID-19 cases that Jamaicans experienced during that time, which resulted in strict curfew hours and the ban on events.

The ban on indoor and outdoor events will continue until June 30.

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