Grange: Insurance scheme for music and entertainment industry ready to launch

Minister of Culture and Entertainment Olivia “Babsy” Grange has announced that Guardian Life Insurance Company has been contracted to become the government’s health and life insurance provider for the music and entertainment industry.

Yesterday, during his presentation during the sectoral debate in the House of Representatives, Grange said the long-awaited plan would be launched “in a few weeks”.

“This revolutionary plan will address situations where there is no money to bury a practitioner when they die, or where some artists become ill and are unable to finance the necessary medical treatment out of their own pocket. We are all aware of this, which is why we are establishing an insurance plan – life and health to take care of our artists and cultural practitioners,” she told Parliament.

“So I know the need for this assurance and many practitioners and their families often turn to me as their minister for help. I am doing my best, but this insurance plan will provide a better, more sustainable and more dignified option,” said the former Specs/Shang executive.

Grange also said she hopes artists will make full use of the insurance plan.

“Following a competitive tender process, the contract was awarded to Guardian Life Insurance. We will sign the contract in a few weeks and we hope that through this deliberate action, the artist and creative
Practitioners will benefit from this program and thereby reduce their vulnerability to adversity and debt, as has been the case currently,” she noted.

Minister Grange first announced in December 2019 her ministry’s plan to create an insurance fund for performing artists and musicians.

At the time, she also outlined plans to introduce arrangements within the facility that would cover life insurance, health, maternity and retirement benefits.

The initiative she had explained was to involve partnerships with key stakeholders including the Jamaica Federation of Musicians (JFM), the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) and the Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates (JAVAA).

Grange also said discussions were underway with Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett to explore extending the benefits of the proposed Tourism Workers Pension Scheme to artists and musicians.

In an update in January last year, at the Rebel Salute media launch at the ROK Hotel in downtown Kingston, the minister announced that the health insurance program was about to be rolled out. shape.

At the time, she revealed that an actuarial consultancy firm had been hired to assist with the tender process for the government health insurance scheme.

The minister, former director of the Shabba Ranks, Bounty Killer, Patra and Leroy Sibbles companies, stressed the importance of setting up such an insurance system, noting that it aims to alleviate the financial burden of those who have provided Marquez made substantial contributions to Jamaica’s development when faced with illness.

“Wherever you go in the world, they’re talking about our music, and I thought it was important that as part of our Jamaica 60 legacy, we made sure we introduced insurance coverage for our artists, our writers, our cultural practitioners, to ensure that they benefit from what they have brought to this country to build the brand,” she had said.

The St Catherine Central MP also highlighted that practitioners who have reached old age are those who particularly need insurance support.

“Every day we lose one of our veterans. Either they become very ill or they die, there is always a problem in managing the funeral; there is still a problem regarding health insurance, health coverage, and I thought it was time, for this sector which has helped build the Jamaica brand,” she explained.