Jamaica Carnival goes 'back pon de road'

On Tuesday evening at 23 Dominica Drive in New Kingston, J. Wray & Nephew (JWN) announced their partnership with Jamaica Carnival as title sponsors, by way of a panel consisting of Pietro Gramegna, marketing manager, JWN Ltd, Julianne Lee, CEO of Jamaica Carnival, and government representative Senator Matthew Samuda.

"It couldn't be more ideal. We are very pleased to be back in the space with the iconic brand Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum. We're very pleased that the two great states are together," Lee said.

"We saw that there was a void, and were moved to bring back what [Byron Lee] left," Lee added.

She also noted that Byron Lee wanted to make sure that Jamaica Carnival was accessible to all Jamaicans.

"He wanted to make sure that this was accessible to the nation as a whole. That is a guiding force to bringing back a Jamaicanised version of carnival," she said.

Lee announced that Jamaica Carnival has endorsed a number of carnival events across three parishes as part of their initiative to involve the nation. These events will be followed by the Jamaica Carnival road march on April 23 which will start at Hope Gardens in St Andrew.

There will be five options for road wear, as well as a design-it-yourself section.

"We are rejuvenated again with the two great spirits," Lee told THE STAR. "It's fabulous. There are so many different players now because, guess what? We're just offering more variety for the diaspora, and the people outside the diaspora to come back to Jamaica and experience what we have to offer."