At last Thursday’s Independence Grand Gala, Busy Signal and Wayne Wonder joined Sizzla Kalonji, Capleton, Beres Hammond, Leroy Sibbles, Derrick Morgan, Rita Marley, Morgan Heritage, Third World, Ken Boothe, Toots Hibbert, Dawn Penn, Melody Makers, Byron Lee and the Dragonnaires, Shaggy, Grub Cooper, and Sanchez, as recipients of the culture ministry’s Reggae Icon Award. In this article shared with the Jamaica Observer, Dr Leo Gilling, criminologist, Diaspora strategist, journalist, philanthropist and policy analyst, questions what exactly does the award measure and why a slew of apparently deserving artistes were leapfrogged by some of the current recipients.

Following is part one of a lightly edited version of the article:

Let me begin with what this article is not.