Olivia 'Babsy' Grange

Olivia 'Babsy' Grange grew up in West Kingston in a politically charged environment. In such an environment she never saw herself as a political person.

As a teenager, she was the president of Victor's Youth Club which was how she met former Prime Minister and Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Edward Seaga. The group was not politically polarised but operated in a politically charged environment.

When she went to Canada in 1965, she was a model. She also did public relations for Ontario Department of Labour, promoting women's issues and human rights.

On one of her visits to the island she saw the development that was taking place in Tivoli and Central Kingston and at the invitation of Mr. Seaga, returned to the island in the 1970s. She worked with West Kingston Trust, which was involved in non-political work in a primarily JLP environment.

She has been through imprisonment and exile but has used the opportunity to concentrate on introducing reggae music into Canada promoting many now famous artistes. She returned to Jamaica in 1981 and began working with Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) to revive Jamaica festival.

Ms. Grange said she was never interested in entering representational politics as it is divisive. Her love and interest were in music, which was more unifying. Before her segue into representational politics, she was a the heart of the music scene. She was instrumental in organising the first world music festival in Jamaica.

However, in 1983, she was appointed senator and parliamentary secretary. Eight weeks before the 1989 General Election, she decided to face the electorate for the first time. She lost, but in 1997, when she represented Central St. Catherine, she won against former party member Bruce Golding (who had left the JLP and is now its leader). Ms. Grange describes herself as a strong person and a fighter.