Hope Marquis - File

In the article entitled 'No Caribbean love for dancehall' by Krista Henry in the May 10 issue of The Gleaner, the assertion that "Caribbean islands are putting a 'stop order' on Jamaican artistes travelling throughout the region" is not only misleading but also divisive.

Indeed, the observation that Jamaican songs are being banned on radio stations in the region without acknowledging the banning taking place in Jamaica is nothing short of disingenuous. On the other hand, it is encouraging to learn that across the region societies are showing an appreciation for the significance and impact of popular music, and heart-warming to see their discriminating taste in rejecting works and artistes that purvey vulgar, vile and vituperative messages.

Disservice

Throughout the ages, Jamaican and other regional artistes have enjoyed the opportunity to perform throughout the Caribbean. Consequently, the artistes and the countries of the region are done a disservice by the suggestion that as regional artistes flock to Jamaica, Jamaican artistes are faced with a stop order from the region. For one thing, it represents dancehall artistes, the ones facing rejection, as the sum total of Jamaican artistes. Truth be told, Jamaica has rejected objectionable performances from the region for decades and, as the article points out, the Jamaican artistes experiencing rejection in the Caribbean are also being rejected in other areas of the world.

Here in the United States, the attitude of several of these dancehall artistes towards homosexuals and the nation's buggery laws have inspired the launch of a campaign encouraging a boycott of Jamaican products.

In light of this prospect for collective punishment and economic consequence inflicted on the people and Government of Jamaica in response to misguided and thoughtless deeds of artistes, I note with interest that the defence for these artistes have come from women focused on economics - whether it's the admonishment of booking agent Carlette Deleon citing the detrimental effects of the banning on the artistes, or University of the West Indies lecturer, Dr Donna Hope Marquis, noting that the ban takes away from the earning potential of the music industry and the revenues that can accrue to our society. Are we to understand that only women citing money will come to the defence of daggering?

More thought for decision making

Deleon's scolding of Caribbean islands, but not the artistes, for what she calls knee-jerk reactions and a failure to put more thought into decision making certainly does not help her case.

As Paul Robeson, the internationally acclaimed African-American artiste and humanist pointed out, culture is a weapon. Yet, we must realise and acknowledge that, placed in the hands of irresponsible practitioners, this weapon will be used recklessly and inevitably will lead to self-inflicted wounds and collateral damage. Perhaps the article would have done better to focus on the comments of Dr Marquis where she states that we must work with our artistes to sort out the challenges we have with the music.

This would certainly help to raise the bar in the creation and performance of our music and reduce the chances that it becomes the basis for bans and boycotts.

Carlyle McKetty is president of the New York-based coalition lobbying to preserve reggae music. Send comments to cpr@tsoproductions.com or letters@gleanerjm.com.