Elton John arrives for the world premiere of the latest James Bond movie 'Casino Royale' at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square in London on November 14, 2006. - REUTERS

Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Despite calls by members of the Christian community in Tobago to ban self-confessed homosexual Elton John from appearing on the Plymouth Jazz Festival, the British singer will perform.

Three days ago the gay singer faced the possibility of being barred from entering Trinidad and Tobago as a result of a clause that exists in the island's immigration law that bars self-confessed homosexuals from entering the country.

According to the Immigration Act Sections E and F, self-confessed prostitutes and homosexuals are among those who can be blocked from entering the country.

Knighted by the queen

Sir Elton, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997 for his charitable nature and contribution to music, and who headlines the event with the likes of former lead singer of the Temptations, Diana Ross, rhythm and blues singer Glady's Knight, three-time Grammy award winner Mary J Blige and LL Cool J, has stirred a silent protest by Tobagonians since the organisers made the announcement last November.

He is one of the closing acts on the three-day event, which commences on Friday, April 27 and ends Sunday, April 29.

Anthony Maharaj, chief executive officer of the festival in an interview with the Trinidad Express on Tuesday, said the singer's scheduled performance for the Jazz Festival should not have anything to do with his private life.

Maharaj reportedly said: "It was strange for me to to see the article in the Sunday Express. This country should be honoured to have Sir Elton perform in Tobago."

The controversy has received mixed reviews and readers on the newspaper website have lauded the singer, while some have condemned his lifestyle.

"Ridiculous! This is ridiculous!! Sir Elton should be allowed to perform. The man is a professional and should be allowed to ply his trade. There is more immortality in Trinidad that needs to be protested against than a gay performer. I thought Trinidad is where every creed and race find equal place, silly radicals and extremists," said the posting of a Trinidadian living in New York.

On the other hand, a reader, responding to a statement made that the attitude of the Trinidadians was Third World, said, "So we are Third World because we hold on to positive values? We have a huge problem with homosexuality in our population because unlike our foreign counterparts our free up nature and infrastructure cannot support the conditions of this lifetsyle."