ORGANISERS of shows, including entertainers, who claim to be giving benefits to charities, may no longer get the greenlight from these institutions to use their names on promotional posters.
This is because sometimes the proceeds are not delivered as promised.
In one case, New Hope Children's Home in Mandeville only learnt that a group of promoters had used their name after the show was held.
"It (this scam) happen to us more than once. It was a concert with entertainers involved. This is robbery. Why do they (promoters) use the name of our home and don't give us the money? That is not fair," said the supervisor at the home.
The same thing is said to have happened at the Musgrave Childrens Home. A spokesperson who wanted to remain anonymous said that sometimes the entertainers don't even contact them for permission to use their name on the posters citing a recent concert in St. Catherine as an example.
Ms. Leslyn Miller-Simpson, Acting Asst. Supt at the Glenhope Place of Safety said her institution was not taking any chances after they were victims of this scam. "We have to clamp down on them. It would have to be a written agreement and whether the show turns out well for the promoter or not we would have to get whatever was promised."
Ms. Miller-Simpson added that, "I remember one called here to say they wanted to use the institution's name on their posters- they were entertainers - and I wouldn't give them the permission because too much of them are unscrupulous. They do this to get a crowd and then they do not give us the money," she said.
While there are those that have been using 'charity' to gain crowds there are those honest ones that have being doing good. Bounty Killer, Shaggy, Capleton and Beenie Man are a few of those.
After the Saddle 2000 show in December, Bounty Killer donated almost $300,000 to three East Kingston schools including Rennock Lodge Primary and Junior High and Norman Gardens All Age.
Beenie Man gives more than a million dollars in services and cash to charity each year. These include the Back-To-School programme in Craig Town and varied community developments.
