Dear Editor,

Within the music industry in the Caribbean and the wider world, Guyanese musicians have always represented their country, keeping the Golden Arrowhead flying proudly with the works they perform. The most outstanding Guyanese artiste to date remains Eddy Grant. However, within the past decade a few notable acts arose from Guyana and are presently blazing a trail in the Caribbean. They are First Born, Natural Black, Tameka Marshall, Adrian Dutchin and Jumo.

First Born emerged during the late nineties and since then has become a formidable force with which to reckon in the genre of Reggae. They have even taken their music to Europe where they were well received.

While the Caribbean people were warming up to First Born, another Guyanese artiste was in the wings waiting to take the world by storm. Mortimer Softley known to most of us as Natural Black, literally exploded on the Reggae scene as we entered the new millennium, and since then has not shown any signs of burning out anytime soon. He is one of the most respected Reggae artistes in the business today. With his incredible vocal range he has touched the hearts and minds of many with his positive lyrics and haunting melody lines.

After a somewhat indifferent start, but after serious dedication and commitment to hard work, Tameka Marshall is indeed showing us Guyanese that she truly has what it takes to be a star. She made a very serious statement this year with her song entitled Hush, released on the Indiscretion Riddim produced by Shane C Brown for Jukebox Productions. Working along with Peter Morgan from Morgan Heritage and some other renowned Jamaican producers, Tameka is proving that she could indeed hold her own in the industry. When Donovan Germaine from Penthouse Records decides to work with an artiste, it sends a strong message about the quality of that artiste. Tameka is doing work for Penthouse Records presently.

Adrian Dutchin did work with Krosfyah which is arguably the biggest band coming out of Barbados. To be fronting for Krosfyah is no easy feat. His recordings are known throughout the Caribbean and in some other parts of the world. Dutchin came from the boy group Seven that was once a household name in Guyana. His recent track with Terry Gajraj entitled Rum Drinkers gets major airplay in Guyana, several Caribbean islands, the US and Canada.

Jumo came out of EC Connection, a Guyanese band that played the local dance circuits in the late nineties. He joined the elite roster of well-respected singers to lead the legendary Byron Lee and the Dragonaires Band from Jamaica. His recordings and his rubber waist are known both locally and internationally. Together with Dutchin they have the X2 collaboration.

As Guyanese I know that we are proud of these relatively new trail-blazers in the music industry who are representing our country in fine style.

However, there is something all the artistes this country has ever produced that went on to make it big in the music business have in common. They all had to leave these shores for other countries to ply their trade. Why is that so? Why did First Born have to go to Jamaica to become famous? Why did Natural Black have to go to Jamaica to make his name? Why is Tameka Marshall doing so well in Jamaica? Why did Adrian Dutchin have to look to Krosfyah of Barbados? Why do all these artistes have to literally live outside of Guyana in order to ‘make it’? The answers to those questions could be many, but one main reason for the migration of our musical talent is that there is little or no reward being offered for this gift at home here in Guyana. Artistes live on the income they receive for the work they do. So, if there are no means by which they can receive income for the work they are doing, then they might as well do it for charity or head to places where that income would be guaranteed.

At this time internationally the world is looking at tweaking copyright laws to accommodate the mp3 generation who prefer to digitally download music instead of physically visiting a music store to purchase Compact Discs (CDs). These laws are intended to ensure that artistes benefit from the iPod generation. Just recently a Pirate Bay file-sharing website was closed and its owners sent to jail and ordered to pay royalties to a few music companies. In a landmark ruling, the Stockholm District Court sentenced Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Peter Sunde, Fredrik Neij and Carl Lundstrom to one year in prison and they were also ordered to pay damages of 30 million kronor (£2.4 million) to a series of entertainment companies, including Warner Bros, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI and Columbia Pictures. With an estimated 22 million users, the Pirate Bay had become the entertainment industry’s No. 1 enemy after successful court actions against file-swapping sites such as Grokster Kazaa, Napster and Audio Galaxy. Sadly in Guyana we still do not even have the most basic of copyright laws existing. And, what is worse is that the local musicians are not even bothering to lobby for this law. Local musicians need to ensure that the right pressure is applied in the right areas where action would be taken at introducing copyright legislation. If not, they might as well pack up their instruments and head for the cruise ships and hotels in other countries where they can ‘hustle’ their trade.

It is high time Guyana introduces copyright laws and focuses on making music profitable in Guyana for Guyanese. We talk of enhancing the tourism industry and making tourism profitable. What about music? In countries like Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad music plays a big part in their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures. And that is not by chance; it is because they have chosen to invest in the industry and to protect its profitability.

Mr Dave Martins of the Tradewinds who himself resides on the Cayman Islands has decided to work closely with the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport. I hope that he uses some of his time to lobby for the drafting and implementation of copyright laws that can ensure that local musicians can earn adequately for the work they produce. It is time for some regulation of the music industry in Guyana.

We boast of having recording studios that can produce good quality tracks, but what is the use of those if there are no laws that govern how the studios and artistes can benefit from all the hard work they would have put in to produce their music. We want to hear from the Kross Kolor Krew, Brutal Recordings, and Platinum Records. They all must rise up and lobby seriously for copyrights laws to be passed in Parliament.

Copyright laws in Guyana are long overdue. Musicians in Guyana must all sing one tune to the government to ensure that they table copyright laws in Parliament to protect the work they do.

Yours faithfully,
Richard Francois