Laurell Nurse to stage 10th Queens of Reggae Islands Honorary Ceremony
Despite the absence of financial support, Laurell Nurse will stage the 10th Queens Of Reggae Islands Honorary Ceremony (QORIHC) on May 31 in Kingston, Jamaica. She will recognize the contributions of 40 women in the fields of entertainment, media and academia.
The event takes place at the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium, located in New Kingston, Jamaica’s main business district. Nurse says while there is little corporate or government backing, response from recipients has made her work worth it.
“To reach 10 years is highly significant as the honorees have been grateful and happy which means there is a complete rich niche for QORIHC. There hasn't been an empty room. There have been many grateful hearts and souls and their children are satisfied,” she told Caribbean Today.
Like previous years, Nurse and her team have selected women who have excelled. They include singers Tanya Stephens, Etana and J C Lodge; Dr. Carolyn Cooper, a lecturer at the University of the West Indies; Janet Silvera, a journalist with the Gleaner newspaper; and 99 year-old Sylvia Browne, matriarch of one of Jamaica’s leading music families.
A registered nurse by profession, Nurse is also a singer known as Mye Laurell. She decided to stage an event acknowledging the accomplishments of women, after a discussion with Sister Nancy 11 years ago.
The pioneer female deejay — world-famous for the song, Bam Bam — was concerned about the lack of respect her peers were shown in the entertainment sector, even though they had made significant strides.
Since its inception, the QORIHC has honored Sister Nancy; singer Marcia Griffiths; Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s entertainment minister; and Alma Mock Yen, a giant of Jamaican journalism.
“The greatest highlight is that there is a 99 percent attendance rate of honorees and the second greatest is that we have honored some before they died. All posthumous awards so far, the honorees knew about their award before they died,” said Nurse.
