February is Reggae Month in Jamaica – But Does the Government Really Care About the Music?

At the beginning of the year, Jamaican PM Bruce Golding declared February Reggae Month throughout the country in perpetuity. A number of reggae-related events had already been planned, including UWI’s Global Reggae Conference from February 18-24, and the Africa Unite/Smile Jamaica series of events, culminating in a big concert on the 23rd.

Ironically, Golding’s declaration came at the heels of embarrassing news of the Jamaican government’s own neglect of the country’s cultural history.