Post by kaya on Apr 17, 2009 17:06:54 GMT -5
Stephen Marley, Mackie Conscious take reggae to the Summit
Steven Jackson - Jamaica Observer
Friday, April 17, 2009
Stephen Marley and Mackie Conscious are two reggae musicians slated to perform at the Fifth Summit of the Americas today in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) which will be attended by 34 of the region's leaders, including US president, Barack Obama.
Stephen Marley
The Trinidad media reported that Marley along with Arrow from Montserrat and Barbadian jazz saxophonist Arturo Tappin is among a small group of Caibbean acts performing at the summit, whilst Internet site imagesnewsletter.com stated that reggae singer Dennis McKay, aka Mackie Conscious, would also perform.
In a brief interview with Splash on Wednesday, Mackie Conscious, who was on his way to the airport, said he was humbled by this honour. "I will be performing three songs, What If, The World Is In Trouble and Mi Live To See," the singer/song-writer from Montego Bay explained.
Efforts to contact Marley and the Summit organisers proved unsuccessful up to print.
Trinidadian performers for the event according to the Trinidad Express include: Machel Montano and the Witco Desperadoes Steel Orchestra, the Divine Echoes and the National Steel Symphony orchestras, as well as the Shiv Shakti Dancers, Indian Classical Dancers, drummers and the Laventille Rhythm Section.
The Fifth Summit of the Americas will be held in Port of Spain, T&T on April 17-19, 2009, the first time in the Caribbean.
The Summits will discuss, amongst other things, effects to mitigate the world economic downturn, but also give leaders a chance meeting with Obama whose country is at the epicentre of the downturn.
The participants of the Summit are the heads of state and government of the thirty-four member states of the Organisation of American States (OAS) and their delegations. In addition, the heads of the member institutions of the Joint Summit Working Group (JSWG) participate as observers.
The main objective of the Summits of the Americas according to its secretariat is to: "Analyse and discuss the problems and challenges that the Americas face in order to jointly seek solutions and improve the quality of life of the citizens of the Americas."
Source: Jamaica Observer