On November 12, 2024, the Jamaican Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport launched the Jamaica Entertainers and Creatives Insurance Plan (JECIP), a significant initiative designed to provide life and health insurance for the country’s cultural and creative professionals. With a budget allocation of 55 million Jamaican dollars from the Government’s Consolidated Fund, the scheme promises a one-million-dollar insurance coverage for the 4,425 members of the Entertainment Registry. While this is a welcome development, especially for those who were financially hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, a closer look at the initiative reveals challenges that could undermine its long-term impact.
JECIP’s introduction comes at a crucial moment, when the sector is in urgent need of support. The pandemic exposed the vulnerability of Jamaica’s cultural and creative practitioners, highlighting the sector’s precariousness and lack of financial safety nets. The insurance scheme, which has been hailed as a necessary lifeline, is well-intended and addresses immediate needs. However, it is also symptomatic of a larger problem within Jamaica’s creative economy—a lack of a comprehensive, forward-thinking policy framework.
The launch of JECIP, while praiseworthy, is part of a pattern of piecemeal, short-term solutions aimed at addressing immediate issues without a clear, long-term strategy. This “urgency of now” approach has been a recurring theme in Jamaica’s cultural policy landscape. While the insurance scheme provides much-needed relief, it operates in isolation and without a broader, cohesive vision for the creative economy’s sustainable growth. This is the point I’ve been emphasizing for over a decade—policy development in the cultural sector cannot remain fragmented or reactive; it needs to be proactive, integrated, and strategic.
While the government’s commitment to the JECIP is commendable, the absence of a wider policy framework for the creative industries is a significant concern. The program is a step in the right direction, but it could face challenges in sustainability without a structured plan that ties it into a broader cultural policy. Additionally, the lack of a mechanism to allow practitioners to enhance their benefits through voluntary contributions to the scheme further raises questions about its long-term viability.
To ensure the scheme’s sustainability, the Jamaican government must consider creating financial instruments that allow creative professionals to contribute to their own futures. One potential solution could be introducing an optional match feature within the insurance plan, enabling policyholders to add their own funds to increase their coverage. This approach could help ensure that the benefits extend beyond a one-time gesture, providing lasting value to creative workers.
However, JECIP’s most pressing issue is the absence of a clear, comprehensive policy that governs the creative and entertainment industries in Jamaica. In 2015, a framework for developing the cultural economy was produced, but it lacked the implementation capacity to turn policy into action. Efforts to advance this policy were made in 2017 and 2019, but the sector was hit hard by the pandemic, stalling progress. The proposed omnibus legislation for 2021 seemed promising, but even now, in 2024, the development of this overarching policy remains unclear.
In the absence of this strategic policy, initiatives like JECIP are left to function in a vacuum. The lack of clarity on how different creative sectors are categorized and supported by the government leaves practitioners confused about their eligibility for benefits. At the launch event, numerous creatives expressed uncertainty about where they fit into the Entertainment, Culture, and Creative Industries (ECCI) sector, and whether they were even eligible for initiatives like JECIP. This confusion is compounded by the fragmented approach taken by various ministries and government departments, which have different definitions and configurations of the creative sector. Without a clear, unified framework, these initiatives risk missing their mark and failing to reach those who need them most.
The requirement that practitioners be members of a professional organization to qualify for JECIP highlights another flaw in the scheme’s design. While membership in a formal organization is a positive step towards professionalizing the sector, it overlooks emerging creative fields such as pyrotechnics, independent media, and social media management, which are still in their infancy and lack formal associations. This gap could result in many practitioners being excluded from the benefits of the scheme. To address this, the Ministry must consider establishing more flexible criteria for membership and recognize the diversity of new and emerging sectors within the creative economy.
Moreover, the scheme’s reliance on the Entertainment Registry raises further concerns about accessibility. If the registry is not continuously updated and inclusive of all creatives, there is a risk that many individuals and groups who could benefit from JECIP will be left out. The question remains whether the addition of new registrants will overwhelm the system, diluting the benefits for existing members.
The anticipated cultural policy framework, which is reportedly nearing completion, will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Jamaica’s creative economy. However, if this policy continues to evolve in isolation from industry realities, it risks repeating the mistakes of the past. Consultation with all stakeholders—financial institutions, creative professionals, and other relevant parties—is essential to ensure that the policy is not only comprehensive but also practical and inclusive.
In the interim, the government must prioritize addressing the immediate needs of Jamaica’s creative workforce while laying the groundwork for a more sustainable and inclusive policy environment. Until this happens, the industry remains in limbo, unsure of where it is heading and what future support it can expect.
Jamaica’s cultural and creative sector has immense potential to be a driving force for economic growth. However, to unlock this potential, the government must commit to a unified, long-term vision that brings together financial, cultural, and creative sectors. Only through strategic, coordinated efforts can we ensure that initiatives like JECIP are not just a short-term fix but a springboard for sustainable growth and development.
Dr. Deborah Hickling Gordon is a two-term member of the UNESCO Expert Facility on the Diversity of Cultural Expression and a leading academic voice in the development of Jamaica’s cultural and creative economy.
