Vybz Kartel pleads against ban

Deejay Vybz Kartel is hoping that the government of Grenada will retract its decision to not grant him a work permit, based on the artiste’s aim to advocate safe-sex methods.

Yesterday, it was reported that Kartel, real name Adidja Palmer, had been barred from performing at a show in Grenville, St Andrews in Grenada, by the island’s government.

The artiste was scheduled to perform on May 2 at the event Rap-it-up, which was to mark the official launch of his Daggering condoms in that island. Instead, the government turned down his work permit citing the lewdness and violence of his songs as the reason.

When THE STAR contacted Kartel he stated: “This decision by the government of Grenada to not grant us work permits is regrettable, especially in light of the fact that this is a concert to promote safe sex in a region which has the second-highest rate of HIV infection in the world after sub-Saharan Africa, and a high incidence of AIDS, a disease which has devastated several families in the Caribbean. Through our company, Daggering Unlimited, we advocate safe sex and condom use using entertainment.”

acted hastily

He continued: “As such, I believe that the government may have acted hastily. Given the media attention that their decision has drawn, we hope that the government will do the right thing and choose to grant us the permits to perform in the country this weekend.”

Referring to a recent report made by the United Nations, Kartel elaborated that there were approximately 430,000 persons in the Caribbean living with HIV/AIDS.

The artiste further mentioned that his Daggering condoms reflected new policies and avenues that he was hoping to adopt for the future. Kartel’s Daggering condoms were made available in Jamaica last year.

“My advocacy of safe sex is in keeping with my new stance to do more conscious lyrics that promote the unification of various groups and communities that were previously in conflict, and lyrics that encourage the love and respect of black women,” Kartel said.

The promoter of Rap-it-up is now facing losses amounting to more than US$5,000 (J$445,000) and will be seeking an audience with Grenada’s Ministry of Labour today to see if they could exercise leniency. Should this fall through, he said that he would be seeking legal advice as it related to claiming for losses, as neither he nor the artiste was aware of the government’s blacklisting.