McKenzie backs ban on pro-gun music
Published:Friday | October 21, 2022 | 12:07 AM
Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie has robustly supported the Broadcasting Commission’s ban on free-to-air music that promotes and glorifies guns, lottery scamming, and the use of illegal drugs.
Addressing the issue at Wednesday’s launch of the cross-island run to mark Local Government Month at the Portmore Municipal Corporation building, McKenzie slammed entertainers for negative lyrics in the public domain.
“Nowadays, I don’t even know what the number one song in Jamaica is, because there are times when the lyrics are not something you want to encourage your enemy to sing,” the minister said.
“Our music once had a message of hope. Our music used to be inspiring, but not anymore.”
McKenzie challenged critics who have raised freedom-of-expression concerns, arguing that “we can no longer glorify badness ... in the music”.
However, the group representing media owners has accused the Broadcasting Commission of “overreach”, and accused the regulator of failing to engage in consultation.
The Media Association Jamaica (MAJ) said that it was a staunch supporter of self-regulation, adding that “any initiative with the potential impact of curtailing rights and freedoms cannot be taken lightly, as there are often knock-on effects on other freedoms ...”.
“Where does social commentary end and glorification start? Social commentary is a necessary element of our society, whether through speech, music, or theatre,” the MAJ argued.
The runners will be taking the messages of the governor general, the prime minister, the opposition leader, and the minister of local government to municipal regions across the island, before relaying them to Kingston on Saturday, November 5, at a service at the Kencot Seventh-day Adventist Church.
A youth mayor forum will be one of the features of Local Government Month in November.