Worldwide recognition but no plan for culture - Davis pushes for input from the Office of the Prime Minister

Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

Many a concert promoter can relate to the situation of having a large crowd at an event, yet not seeing that reflected in a healthy profit. In much the same way, Andrea Davis says brand Jamaica, with reggae at its core, "is worldwide in terms of recognition. What we are not worldwide in is value added. What we have not realised is the wealth from a brand whose value is inestimable".

The issue is "how do we manage that, translate it into economic opportunity when the world wants to walk like us, look like us, wants to know how we run so fast?"

GLOBAL APPEAL

"It is a resource," Davis emphasised. "We are suppliers to a multibillion-dollar business worldwide in which Jamaica has global appeal. How do we, as a small island, then translate this into economics, into growth?"

Key to this, she reiterates, is funding. "It is not about one individual coming to the table. We are in the digital age. Now you have the possibility of having many Chris Blackwells. It is for the capital and the creative to meet in a space where you can create a plan so both of you can profit," Davis said.

While Davis paints a somewhat gloomy picture, she said "there have been moments of hope in the 20 years-plus I have been witness to". However, she said, "I can see some ways in which we are repeating ourselves".

She also conceded, though, that a high level of mistrust dominates and precludes people getting together.

And Davis has a recommendation for putting it all together. "Until there is an overarching plan that is driven from the highest levels of power there will be no plan," she said. So, she said, she wishes to see a plan for the creative industries run by the Office of the Prime Minister.

It is not something that should be delayed. "We can't sit on our laurels and because we are first assume we are the only ones," Davis said.