Prime Minister, Andrew Holness and Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Oliva Grange, joined the local and international community in honouring the late singer, actor and activist, Harry Belafonte.
Belafonte, who was of Jamaican parentage, and who used his entertainment platform to break racial barriers in the 1950s, died on Tuesday at 96.
The Prime Minister said that the nation has lost a “a treasured icon”, while hailing Belafonte for using his talent to promote social justice and equity for all.
Mr. Holness described the late icon as “a true Ambassador for Jamaica and Jamaican culture” and “a trailblazer who paved the way for generations of artists and activists to come”.
Minister Grange, similarly, offered condolences to Belafonte’s widow, Pamela, his children, grandchildren and friends.
She spoke fondly of Belafonte’s activism and heaped praises on the global superstar for being a “voice, face, and inspiration for black people everywhere”.
In a release from her Ministry, the Minister said that Belafonte, was “an important promoter of our folk music – bringing ‘Day-O’, ‘Jamaica Farewell’ and other songs to America and elsewhere”.
