Marley 60th marked

Reggae lovers from around the globe, from Jamaica to the Rastafarian holy land of Ethiopia, have celebrated the late Bob Marley's 60th birthday.

Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has declared an official year-long celebration to mark Marley's birthday, and thousands are expected to attend several tribute concerts planned to honour the singer, who died of cancer in 1981 at the age of 36.

At Marley's former Kingston home, now a museum, tourists took turns yesterday getting their photographs taken with a bronze statue of the dreadlocked singer holding his Gibson guitar and pointing a finger skyward.