Jamzone is an entertainment event, not a political or opinionated moral issue

Dear Editor,

It is quite amusing that Aubrey Norton is having a headache over one of the Jamzone shows in which Mavado and Vybz Kartel will be performing, on August 19, 2011, when there are youths and even adults in Guyana indulging in the culture of same reggae and dancehall artistes’ music almost every day. I have read his article, titled “Why is taxpayers’ money being used to promote entertainment which glorifies lawlessness and distracts the youths” in the Stabroek News of Thursday 18th, and I was very disturbed about his inferences.

When Norton stated in his article that “our youth are fed a virtual bi- monthly diet of foreign artistes who promote entertainment characterised by an advocacy of violence, both domestic and other forms; lawlessness, drug use, social deviance, a get- rich-quick culture and other social values that are inimical to the development of Guyana and things Guyanese”, you are indirectly discouraging your supporters from attending such an event, when in fact your supporters are the ones who will be at front stage supporting either Gaza (Vybz Kartel) or Gully (Mavado). In essence, you are wasting your breath. You do not wait for such an event to come up to talk about morality, education and lawlessness.

Hits and Jams Entertainment is an autonomous private entity that creates and manages its own agenda. They have every right to decide what is profitable for their business once they do not break the laws. Businesses and corporations pay taxes too, not only the person in the street.

The government of Guyana has no influence whatsoever over the operations and functions of private entities in Guyana.

Government can lend support to private business projects in areas which contribute to the country in some way or the other.

Jamzone is an entertainment event in which Guyanese and non-Guyanese are welcomed. It is an event that is also contributing to our tourism highlights in Guyana, to the region and to the rest of the world. Realising this contribution, the government of Guyana is playing its part to ensure that Guyanese and our overseas counterparts are left with fulfilled memories of an event that only happens once a year.

We live in a world where we have more and more choices available to us. The people in Guyana have the freedom to choose. Because of these choices, we have the right to determine without pressure whether we want to go to an entertainment event or not.

Whether or not politics is involved, as Guyanese, we will relieve our stress and dance at the shows. We are living in a world becoming more service-oriented and consumer driven, and I am definitely sure it is not politics or opinionated morality that will determine if I want to be at a particular event or not.

Yours faithfully,

Joseph Adams