CARICOM leaders denounce violence-glorifying lyrics

Mar 01, 2024 News

Grenada’s Prime Minister, Dickon Mitchell

Kaieteur News – In a resolute stance against the concerning trend of glorifying violence in the Caribbean entertainment industry, leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have issued a resounding call for an end to this style of entertainment.

On Wednesday evening at the closing press conference of the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of the Heads of Government of CARICOM held in Guyana, Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, spotlighted the urgent need for unified action to combat the escalating crisis of crime and violence plaguing the Region. At the forefront of his address, was the condemnation of lyrics and expressions that promote violence and criminality.

“Crime, violence and public safety, it is a matter of fundamental importance to CARICOM,” the Grenadian Prime Minister said.

Underscoring the troubling emergence of this trend, particularly in the southern Caribbean, within the Region’s entertainment sector, Prime Minister Mitchell noted, “The Caribbean has produced some of the world’s most renowned entertainers, from Machel Montano to the Mighty Sparrow…to Bob Marley. Their lyrics have always been inspiring, uplifting, funny, entertaining, but they never promoted violence, they never encouraged violence, they never glorified violence, they never denigrated women.”

To this end, the Caribbean leader called for the promotion of positive, inspiring content. Prime Minister Mitchell highlighted too that there is a critical role played by the Region’s creative industries in shaping a brighter future and safeguarding the values of Caribbean civilization for generations to come.

“We are not here to say that you do not have the right to your cultural expressions, artistic expression, (and) poetic lifestyle but all societies have to again, determine what our values are,” the CARICOM leader stated. He noted too that while promoting violence and glorifying criminality seems to be normalized and mainstreamed – CARICOM leads are resolute in their stance that it should not be.

Prime Minister Mitchell added, “Heads have committed to ensuring that we liberally, strategically and resourcefully commence the process across all spectrums on the issue of how we can use our creative…to bring us back to where we were.”

He explained that CARICOM wants an entertainment industry that is positive and inspiring.

“We are not here to talk censorship, we are not here to curtail anyone’s right to speak or to say what they want, what we are saying is that we need to encourage positive inspiring content, that looks after our young people that encourages them to appreciate that they don’t need to die at 20 or 21 years,” Mitchell underscored.

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CARICOM, Dickon Mitchell, Grenada, lyrics, violence

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