Olivia Grange


Olivia Grange is a Jamaican politician. She has served as Member of Parliament for Saint Catherine Central since 1997 and as Jamaica's Minister of Sports, Youth and Culture for the duration of the Jamaica Labour Party government from 2007 to 2011.

Early life

Grange was born on 27 April 1946 in Luke Lane, West Kingston, Jamaica. Her father was a shoemaker and her mother was a dressmaker. She attended All Saints Primary, Gainstead High, and Ryerson University in Canada.

Career

From 1983 to 1985, Grange served as Government Senator and Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Culture. From 1985 to 1989, she was the Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister. Running as a Jamaica Labour Party candidate for St. Catherine Central, Grange was elected into parliament in 1997. In 2007, she was appointed as Minister of Information, Youth, Sports & Culture. She is currently the Minister of Sports, Culture, Entertainment and Gender Affairs after the JLP was elected to office in 2016. A reggae enthusiast, Grange is also a founding member of the Jamaica Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers. She also co-founded Canada's "first black community newspaper", Contrast.

Personal life

Grange has one daughter and three grand-daughters.

Recognition

In 1997, Grange was nominated as Woman of the Year in Jamaica. In June 2009, she was named as the Caribbean Community's first Champion for Culture. In 2015, Grange was awarded the rank of Commander in the Order of Distinction for her contributions to the country's music scene and cultural development.