At the press conference Friday in Oyster Bay Beach Resort were (from left) Acting TEATT Minister Omar Ottley, Gramps Morgan, St. Maarten Tourism Bureau representative Lisa Coffi, Jemere Morgan, Oyster Bay Beach Resort General Manager Ricardo Perez, St. Maarten Tourism Bureau Director May-Ling Chun, and Oyster Bay Beach Resort Sales and Marketing Director Rohan Williams. (Robert Luckock photo)
OYSTER BAY--Grammy award-winning Jamaican recording artiste Gramps Morgan launched his new album “Positive Vibrations” at a packed Moon Bar in Maho on Friday evening following a press conference at Oyster Bay Beach Resort attended by Acting Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Omar Ottley.
Oyster Bay Beach Resort and Coral Beach Club’s Sales and Marketing Director Rohan Williams noted how the collaboration between him and the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau over the past month had led to securing Gramps Morgan’s second visit to the island. He disclosed how passionate he and Ottley are about Gramps Morgan’s music.
St. Maarten Tourism Bureau Director May-Ling Chun reminded that Gramps Morgan had also launched an album in St. Maarten 10 years ago.
“We’re very happy to have you back, and so glad you have chosen our destination again to launch your album,” she said. “As you said, there is nothing like the Caribbean. This is something we are very happy to accommodate. We are blessed and honoured and look forward to working with you in the future.”
Ottley thanked everyone who had made the visit possible and said one should not underestimate the impact of social media advertising, noting that when Gramps Morgan had been asked about his hotel room, he had replied, “It’s wonderful.”
“I posted that on Instagram and it got 20,000 views. Now that’s the new age of promotion,” Ottley said. “With you opening the doors, many more Grammy-nominated and award-winning artistes will choose St. Maarten as their destination. May we strive to be 10 times as hospitable to you as anyone else so you can share your experience with your peers who hopefully will want to visit St. Maarten. On behalf of the government and myself, thank you for your choosing St. Maarten.”
Gramps Morgan responded: “It’s a joy to be here as a Jamaican, but when I jump on a plane to represent Caribbean music I represent the entire Caribbean, even places like Belize and Honduras, because if you love reggae music you are Caribbean.
“‘Positive Vibrations’ is a tool for ministers of tourism and a soundtrack for the Caribbean. Because of the pandemic many people couldn’t come to the Caribbean. We had a lot of time to reflect and if there’s one thing we learnt in the pandemic, we can live with less. It’s time to give each other flowers, before it’s too late, hence the song how ‘People Like You’ came about. So, it’s a soundtrack for people who deserve to be appreciated too.
“St. Maarten has been so good to me and my family. My job with this album is to sell the Caribbean: beach, sand, and tranquillity.”
Morgan, who was later joined by his son Jemere, said he hoped CDs of the album would be sold in the hotel gift shop.
