Jamaica’s prime minister Andrew Holness gave the green light for re-opening of the country’s entertainment industry on June 23 in parliament. Show promoters can take advantage of the new guidelines, starting July1st in order to revive the battered sector which has been effectively closed by Covid-19 restrictions since March last year.
Holness said some venues will be offered rent-free. However, promoters will pick up the tab for security and utility costs.
“We have put a cap on the number of persons who can attend small events indoors. This is determined as 60 per cent of the usable square footage, not including bathroom and kitchens, divided by 40 square feet, which is the social distancing provision for 100 persons, whichever is lower,” said Holness.
He added that for large events, more than 100 people are allowed. Applications for show permits must be made to the entertainment and health ministries, as well as local police and fire officials.
This is good news for show promoters of major events like Reggae Sumfest which is tentatively scheduled for October in Montego Bay. The popular summer show was held virtually in 2020.
Popular weekly dances like Weddy Weddy and Uptown Mondays, held in Kingston, are likely to resume in July.