Jamaica 50 to cost $688 million

Some $688 million dollars is to be spent on the much anticipated Jamaica 50 celebrations.

This is a cut from the $2.5 billion  outlined by the previous administration.  

Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna made the announcement at a news briefing at Jamaica House this morning. 

Miss Hanna says cabinet has approved the revamped Jamaica 50 programme, which is now budgeted lower than the proposed programme of the previous administration. 

Miss Hanna said there was no defined programme in place when she took office.  

She called it a list of events without financial support.

She says now a programme has been structured to meet the budget of $688 million.

Miss Hanna announced that activities will be unfolded in coming weeks.

She says the campaign to kick off the celebratory period will begin in mid-April, highlighted by Labour Day activities, which will see Jamaicans island wide start preparing communities for the main celebratory period August 1 to August 6.

The campaign will be executed under the theme Jamaica 50: a nation on a mission.