by Howard Campbell
[KINGSTON, Jamaica] – The last 18 months have been quiet for Donnette Dowe and her team here at the Trench Town Culture Yard. On March 22, they roll out the red carpet for their most famous visitors to date. Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, will visit the former tenement which was Bob Marley’s home in the 1960s.
Their three-day trip is the first leg of a Caribbean tour and part of celebrations marking Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of independence from Britain.
Impact of COVID-19
The ‘Culture Yard‘ has felt the brunt of COVID-19. One of Kingston’s most popular tourist attractions, it has been severely affected by the pandemic. Dowe, who has led tours of the renovated yard for over 10 years, is banking on the Royals to spark renewed interest.
“Hopefully, it will be fine when the Prince visits and it will be much better for us after he visits. Hopefully, good things will happen for the people of Trench Town,” she said.
At its peak, the Trench Town Culture Yard drew thousands of tourists annually including celebrities like Jay Z and Beyonce. That was reduced to a trickle once anxiety around COVID intensified in 2020.
No official schedule has been announced for the Royals in Trench Town. There will be a performance by the Binghistra. The traditional Rastafarian drum group led by famed guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith. Smith recorded and toured with Marley who died in May, 1981 at age 36.
Dowe’s father Brent Dowe was a member of The Melodians, a harmony group best known for the hit song, By The Rivers of Babylon. She disclosed that while there is some excitement in Trench Town for the Royal visit, no significant changes have been made to the area.
“The only preparations we are making is keeping the place clean, making sure the community is clean. That’s about it,” she said.
