Kesi Asher, Staff Reporter
Bounty Killer delivers a motivational speech at Upliftment Jamaica's sixth annual gala awards dinner at the Goodyear Factory, Morant Bay, St. Thomas on Saturday. The Rev. Al Sharpton was the keynote speaker at the event. - PHOTO BY ROGER CHUCK
DANCEHALL DEEJAY Bounty Killer was dubbed the 'Poor People's President' by Gary Foster, Chairman of Upliftment Jamaica, after the artiste delivered a speech to a gathering of politicians, doctors, pastors and several visitors from the United States.
Bounty Killer spoke as the celebrity presenter at the Upliftment Jamaica gala, held last Saturday on the grounds of the Goodyear factory in Springfield, St. Thomas.
MAKE EDUCATION A PRIORITY
In his speech, he asked politicians to make education a priority as it is the key to combat crime. He further stated that street children who are abandoned by their parents from ages seven and eight grow up to be easy targets for organised crime as they were never shown any love.
"Anyone can pay them anything to kill somebody. They can kill a baby and don't feel anyway because dem don't have no heart," said Bounty Killer. He continued by advising the gathering that crime is everyone's problem.
"Jamaica, it's our problem, not just the people in authority, but the people in the streets," Bounty said. The audience was very receptive to the deejay's speech and they showed their appreciation for what he said with loud applause.
'GHETTO GLADIATOR'
The self-proclaimed 'Ghetto Gladiator' was also backed by Morris Reid, managing director of Westin Rinehart in the U.S., who showed much interest after the deejay's speech.
"The only currency in the world is celebrity currency. People don't have faith in the Government anymore. We need to rally around Bounty Killer. People listen to entertainers. You see how much energy was created when Bounty Killer came up here? We are interested in people like Bounty Killer," said Reid.
Foster also said later that Bounty should be on the front of Vibe magazine.
Upliftment Jamaica is a charitable organisation in St. Thomas that organises skills training for people of the parishes. The organisation is backed by many organisations including Russell Simmons' Rush Communications, and Microsoft. The office is equipped with computers that benefit HEART/NTA, high school and college students.
