Opposition Welcomes Insurance for Entertainers; But Warns of Unsustainability

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, addresses an audience of entertainers and creatives during the signing ceremony for the Jamaica Entertainers and Creatives Insurance Plan (JECIP), on Tuesday (November 12), at the Ministry’s offices in Kingston. (Mark Bell/JIS) || Inset: Dr. Deborah Hickling Gordon, opposition spokesperson on Culture and the Creative Industries.

Opposition spokesperson on Culture and the Creative Industries, Dr. Deborah Hickling Gordon, has welcomed the launch of the life and health insurance plan for the entertainment industry.

Portfolio minister Olivia Grange launched the Jamaica Entertainers and Creatives Insurance Plan, JECIP, on Tuesday.

Colliecia Wright reports.

JECIP provides coverage to practitioners on the National Registry of Entertainment and Creative Industries who are age six to 75. There is an option to extend up to age 99.

Phase one provides group life and personal accident policies, with a death benefit of up to half a million dollars. Phase two of the programme, expected to come on stream in January, will feature group health.

Funding for JECIP is provided by the government’s Consolidated Fund to the tune of $55 million. But Dr. Hickling Gordon is cautioning that the plan could become unsustainable.

Dr. Hickling Gordon says in its current form, JECIP excludes emerging creative fields which lack formal professional recognition.

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In addition, the opposition spokesperson says the culture ministry needs to detail the specific groups of creatives that qualify for coverage under JECIP.

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