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The USA and the UK are the two nations which set cultural trends worldwide, and so we hear British and American music all over the world. Despite the physical size of China and Russia for example, and despite the economic status of those two countries, if we want to hear the music they produce, then we would really need to visit China or Russia. In fact, the only nation that shares the international stage with the USA and the UK in terms of popular culture is the tiny island of Jamaica.

And Jamaica’s high international profile is not based purely on Reggae music. When it comes to athletics and the sprint races, it is only the USA with a population of 320 million that can put up any real challenge against this little island in the sun. We may also note that since the birth of Islam over a thousand years ago, no country other than Jamaica has introduced to the world a globally recognized religious ideology. And there are many other things that reflect Jamaica's hugely disproportionate global influence - given its size. In short, when all things are considered, we really have to acknowledge that this country with a population of less than 3 million can justifiably be viewed as the eighth wonder of the world.

Now we see Indian, Chinese, Italian, and the cuisine from other countries introduced to the locals on all six continents, but despite Jamaica’s extraordinarily high international profile, Jamaican foods and flavours are curiously absent from major restaurants around the world. Jamaica Jadiladha has been established to address this anomaly and we are starting in East Africa.