Terry Linen promises healing performance for St Bess

Reggae-gospel singer Terry Linen promises to boost the spirits of St Elizabeth's residents through a "healing" performance at the Rise Again Gospel Concert and Christmas tree lighting.

Linen, a St Elizabeth native, said having witnessed first-hand the devastation the battered parish had endured following Hurricane Melissa, he believes the concert is the perfect start in helping victims to heal.

"It's a sense of healing to bring music to the people dem because a healing music me sing weh can help the people dem recover mentally and emotionally. Mi just waah gi dem some good vibes dat dem can get back pon dem feet and set up demself again," Linen told THE STAR.

He said though he has not experienced much impact from the storm compared to Hurricane Beryl, he said his heart goes out to persons who suffered major losses.

"Mi just a pray and hope fi di best dat dem can get an early recovery and restart dem life. I want to remind them that there's a God and dem can get back on dem feet again now that the storm is over," he smiled, as he promised to soothe the crowd with tracks such as Call On A Friend, You Saved Me, and his hit cover version of Whitney Houston's Your Love Is My Love.

The two-day concert features headliners Kevin Downswell, Kukudoo and Linen, and will take place next Tuesday in Black River, and nexy Thursday in Santa Cruz at the Intown SuperCentre Supermarket car parks.

Promoter/founder of Intown SuperCentre Company Limited, Oral Lloyd, said he has been hosting this event since 1997 but had paused during the pandemic with plans to resume next year. However, with the Category 5 storm ravishing the parish, the desire grew to help with the recovery efforts. So he had partnered with other corporate entities and individuals to make it happen.

The event will feature a family fun day filled with activities, including a special treat for the elderly and children featuring Santa Claus, bounce-a-bout and water slides. Care packages, building materials, generators and other supplies will also be issued to families. The gospel concert and Christmas tree lighting segments follow. Lloyd noted that the show is usually held in four locations - Junction, Black River, Mandeville and Santa Cruz.

"But for this year we're focusing on just these two locations because they are the hardest hit. There are still a lot a people without roofs and not sure where their next meal is coming from. With Christmas fast approaching, we want to ensure that we set the tone and the high tempo of the Christmas season for the residents," Lloyd told THE STAR. He noted that Starlink services will also be provided to give patrons Internet services and allow them to charge their mobile phones.

For Boasy Boy Floyd, as a son of the soil, it broke him to see the destruction faced by residents.

"It's hard to come to terms with what the citizens are going through. As someone who was born at the Black River Hospital, I was really taken aback when I saw the demolition of the hospital," Floyd said. "So we just want the people to know that all hope is not lost, they're in our prayers and we want to use this concert to bring them some comfort on the day and reassure them not to give up [because] they can rise again."