REGGAE veteran Burning Spear is voicing his displeasure with the celebrations to mark Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of Independence, especially as it relates to the music industry.

Pointing to the enormous contribution reggae music has made to Jamaica’s development over the past 50 years, he questions why the Government is not organising major reggae concerts across the island to celebrate the achievement of the country’s world-rated indigenous music.

BURNING SPEAR… questions why the Government is not organising major reggae concerts across the island to celebrate the achievement of the country’s world-rated indigenous music

“What I am seeing is everybody organising their own event to make some money and calling it Jamaica 50,” noted the artist born Winston Rodney.

The two-time Grammy winner also wants to know why offers have not been made by the Government to people like himself and other major reggae artists to participate in any official Jamaica 50 celebration.

“Even promoters from Jamaica are trying to book me to perform overseas on their Jamaica 50 shows, so that’s why I have to ask what role is the Government playing in all of this celebration”, he stated.

Spear argued that a celebration of this nature should have been organised in a way that it would attract Jamaicans from all over the world to come home for the activities; as well as the thousands of potential visitors who would want to be a part of this great event.

Burning Spear, who now celebrating over 40 years in the music business, said he was compelled to make these comments because since last year he has been getting a lot of requests from Germany, London, USA, and other countries, from people who want him to perform on their Jamaica 50 events; and that he finds it rather strange that not one of those requests came from the Jamaican government.