Lee 'Scratch' Perry among nominees for Caribbean Hall of Fame
Published:Thursday | November 10, 2016 | 12:00 AMKimberley Small
From a selection process that began as early as May 2016, The Caribbean Development for the Arts, Sports and Culture Foundation will host the 13th staging of the Caribbean Hall of Fame Awards on Friday, November 25, 2016, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel.
Established in 1989, the foundation and its awards ceremony is designed to celebrate Caribbean creations, feats of excellence, and international impact.
"Our main aims are to supervise and aid the creative ability of our West Indian people," said executive director of the foundation Garnett Reid.
Daley, chairman of the foundation, in her address during a recent media launch, said that the awards were formed to honour outstanding Caribbean personalities who have displayed excellence in their performance in sports, arts, and culture.
"We are the only organisation in the Caribbean that seeks to do this, and we will continue to do it in the future," she said.
SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY
"Is there an area of human endeavour in which we have not excelled?" asked Amina Blackwood-Meeks, master of ceremonies, during the launch of the 13th staging of the Caribbean Hall of Fame Awards. "That confers on us a special responsibility."
The foundation invited nominations from countries within the Caribbean Community by way of one-page profiles that clearly define a person or group's accomplishments and influence on their communities on a national, regional, and ultimately, at an international level. Over 70 nominations were submitted during this year's selection process and the nominees span areas of the performance arts, visual art and literary art.
"We have been able to satisfy a wide cross section of the population," said Reid.
Nominees for this year's staging of the Caribbean Hall of Fame Awards include, under the category of Performance Arts: Beres Hammond, Shaggy, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Luciano, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Tessanne Chin, Mavado, I-Octane, Ziggy Marley, and Elephant Man. Under the category of sports, nominees include Yohann Blake, Elaine Thompson, Omar McLeod, Alia Atkinson, Brian Lara, and Chris Gayle.
"This is the 13th year of celebrating the gift of genius, of creative expression and perseverance in endeavours of our Caribbean people," said Dr Jean Small, head of the selection committee.
Blackwood-Meeks also said that this year's celebration will be made extra special with the inclusion of a souvenir magazine called Personalities of the Caribbean Hall of Fame.
"The book will capture over 400 individuals who have been inducted into the Caribbean Hall of Fame since 1989," Reid said.