LOS ANGELES – In mid-June, Jermaine Vernal packed his production gear and left his North Florida base for Los Angeles. He traveled there to interview Roger Steffens, owner of the largest reggae archives in the world.
The interview aired on June 13 on Vernal’s Voice Of The Nation program. It streams Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Instagram and TikTok Live. The show launched in 2025. It features Vernal interviewing mainly Jamaicans on many topics.
“Over little over a year, we have covered politics, community engagement, public safety, education, culture, sports, business development, social justice, youth empowerment, and Caribbean affairs. Our goal is to give people a platform where diverse voices can be heard and important issues can be discussed openly,” said Vernal.
Financier David Mullings, chairman and CEO of the Orlando-based Blue Mahoe Holdings Inc; Richard Azan, an Opposition member of parliament in Jamaica; and Garveyite Steven Golding, are some of the people he has interviewed.
The 84 year-old Steffens, an authority on Bob Marley and The Wailers, may be the biggest name to appear on Voice Of The Nation to date. They discussed the American’s plans to sell his world-famous archives. Preferably, these would go to Jamaican interests.
“One of the major concerns (for Steffens) is ensuring the long-term preservation, proper management, and accessibility of the collection. Given its historical significance, there is also interest in finding suitable institutions and partners that can help protect and showcase the archive for future generations,” said Vernal.
Steffens gave him a tour of the archives, which occupies seven rooms in his home.
Originally from Clarendon parish in central Jamaica, Vernal has lived in the United States for five years. He is a graduate of Atlantic International University in Hawaii. He earned a degree in business administration management from this institution.
