Is the Health Minister aware of this?

Apr 21, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
I wish to draw to the attention of the Honorable Minister of Health and the public at large an event currently being promoted by Wildfire Entertainment, scheduled for Monday April 25th (Easter Monday) at the Joe Vieira Park, at which several Jamaican Dancehall artistes are slated to perform.
What is of concern to me and should be of particular concern to the Minister is the fact that several local DJ’s associated with the promoters who are also slated to perform at the said show have been over the past few weeks announcing via radio and television programmes that “50,000 ‘Cake soaps’” will be distributed freely come Easter Monday.
“Cake soap” or “Blue Bomber” is a Jamaican laundry soap that rose to prominence when Jamaican Dancehall artiste, Vybz Kartel attributed it to the sudden lightening of his complexion, a claim which was denied by the manufacturers of this product.
Kartel, through his lyrics have been promoting the use of this soap and has received much condemnation with the bulk of those being that he is encouraging impressionable youngsters to imitate him.
What has upset many is that the DJ is unrepentant and even playful about lightening his skin colour, refusing to take the matter seriously and countering that it’s no different from white people wanting to tan themselves.
In responding to claims that “Cake soap” cannot lighten the skin, Kartel said the cake soap he references in his music, and which is responsible for his changing appearance, is his personal soap which he is planning to release on the Jamaican market soon.
I suspect that it is Kartel’s brand that will be distributed at Joe Vieira Park on Easter Monday, since two of the Jamaican artistes booked to perform that night are out of his “Portmore Empire” camp.
Our Health system is currently grappling with challenges of its own and the importation of the “skin bleaching” culture, the effects of which have been well documented worldwide, will only add to its woes.
Long-term use of one of the ingredients of bleaching cream, hydroquinone has long been linked to a disfiguring condition called ochronosis that causes a splotchy darkening of the skin. Doctors say abuse of bleaching lotions has also left a web of stretch marks across the faces of many.
In Japan, the European Union, and Australia, hydroquinone has been removed from over-the-counter skin products and substituted with other chemicals due to concerns about health risks.
I have also noted the negative impact of the “skin bleaching” culture on the Jamaican Health system which by the actions of the promoters of this event here could be replicated in Guyana.
Replication is being done at this event with the sponsorship of the Government of Guyana, who no doubt are very much unaware of the Ministry of Health in Jamaica, through its Standards and Regulation Division was compelled to launch an anti-skin bleaching campaign in an effort to put an end to the “skin bleaching” phenomena and may also be unaware of the intentions of the promoters to distribute 50,000 “skin bleaching” ‘Cake soap’ at this event.
I also wish to implore upon the promoters the sensitivities of this particular act, especially with 2011 being the year designated by the UN to celebrate people of African descent.
Jason Abdulla

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