Quickies

Morris to launch Peelin' Orange

Poet Laureate of Jamaica, Professor Mervyn Morris, will launch his collected poems, titled Peelin’ Orange, on Thursday, April 20, 2017, 6:30 p.m. at the Undercroft, UWI Mona Campus. The launch is hosted by the Department of Literatures in English, in association with the National Library of Jamaica. Noted Jamaican poet and literary scholar, Professor Edward Baugh, will deliver the launch talk.

Peelin’ Orange reflects Morris’ outstanding literary life as a poet and critic. Morris taught at the University of the West Indies for many years before retiring from his post as Professor of Creative Writing and West Indian Literature in 2002. He received the Order of Merit in 2009 and currently serves as Jamaica’s Poet Laureate — the first in 61 years.

Morris has nurtured the talents of countless Jamaican writer and is acknowledged as having been among the first to recognise the legitimacy of the dub poetry genre. His influential 1963 essay On Reading Louise Bennett, Seriously was the first to take critical consideration of the work of Louise Bennett as a poet, rather than as simply a ‘humorist’.

Peelin’ Orange is published by Carcanet Press. Copies will be available for sale at the launch. 

Growth targeted for Carnival in Ja

Preparations are in top gear ahead of the inaugural staging of Carnival in Jamaica, which was recently launched at the Jam aica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston. The initiative is a project of the Sports and Entertainment Network of the Ministry of Tourism’s Linkages Network and has facilitated the developers and organisers of many of the biggest local carnival bands, brands and events to provide a well-packaged entertainment offering.

The Ministry of Tourism has committed to using Carnival in Jamaica as the overarching brand to promote the carnival experience to visitors and locals alike through the aggressive marketing support from its agency, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).

“It is our intention to make Carnival in Jamaica a national product that our visitors can look forward to experiencing each year. So this will become an annual undertaking which will transform the carnival experience locally. It is our aim to have Carnival in Jamaica become on par with or even better than carnival in our sister Caribbean island of Trinidad, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Notting Hill in London or any of the other big carnivals in major capitals of the world,” said Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett.

Yush at the ‘Falls’ tomorrow

The all-inclusive, party series Wray White Rum ‘Yush returns tomorrow at Dunn’s River Falls, Ocho Rios. The event will be staged under the theme ‘Best of the ‘90s'. DJs: Jazzy T, ZJ Chrome, Crazy Neil and Illusion Sounds are booked for the event. 

Speaking on the partnership, Pietro Gramegna, Marketing manager for J Wray & Nephew Limited, noted that ‘Wray White Rum Yush’ has continued to attract a growing number of patrons from different generations..... We look forward to this staging, which we ensure will leave our attendees feeling satisfied by the musical stylings of our impressive musical line-up along with our great rum product.”

Pre-sold tickets are available for $2500 at a number of outlets, including Reggae Yard, Island Village (Ocho Rios), Pita Grill (Kingston), Shimmer (Kingston) and Genus Pharmacy (Portmore). Tickets will also be available at the gate for $3000. Gates open at 10 p.m.