Lash Larue salutes Brand Jamaica

Reggae artiste Lash Larue is a big believer in the power of Brand Jamaica.

"I was having a conversation with a friend, and he said 'Jamaica a name brand' and the idea stuck with me because everybody in the studio got excited. But it was just a concept at the time. I believed in the song so much that I went to a studio and voiced the song the very next day," he explained. Jamaica a Name Brand was released last month on the Street People Records label.

The artiste said that Jamaica has a rich and diverse culture and Jamaican brands have contributed immensely to the world.

"Jamaica is a special people and our culture is unique and strong and recognisable globally. We have an intangible energy that gets attention wherever we go. We always make a mark," he said.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness recently announced that the Government will be pumping resources towards monetising and upgrading Brand Jamaica to better capitalise on its economic benefit and value. Holness announced that his administration would be prioritising the objective of attracting more businesses to the country and also ensuring that more Jamaican brands become international.

It is estimated that the island loses about US$20 billion of the economic value of Brand Jamaica annually. This economic value is estimated to be worth between US$33 billion and US$35 billion annually based on a formula used by international brand consultancy firm Interbrand to calculate brand value).

Recently, Lash Larue performed Jamaica a Name Brand during two legs of reggae artiste Nature's islandwide album launches.