Dear Editor,
A commendable move is being made by the administration to clean up the slack morals that have been condemned time and again in our society, and which are especially prevalent among our youths. I fully agree with the call for television and radio stations to get on board with this much needed move to restore Guyana to its former state of decency and good moral standing. But there is much more to be done.
The intention of the administration is to request, and/or to put systems in place that would call on the electronic broadcast media not to play certain music. The music that would not be allowed on the airwaves would include popular wedding house songs like ‘Rum til I die,’ and those of similar nature. As stated before I fully support this initiative. But I wonder if the administration is looking at the other side of the coin.
The so-called ‘culture’ of Guyanese society allows underage children (below 16) to freely visit liquor restaurants, bars and nightclubs and freely purchase alcoholic beverages and cigarettes and consume them on the premises. The same music that will be taken off the airwaves (if the local broadcast media agree), is being played in the bars and hang-out spots that these teenagers visit. The same music and worse, is also played at weddings, bottom-house discos and fêtes, at children’s birthday parties and in public transportation. And what’s more, children as young as four and five years are cheered on proudly by their parents and older siblings and relatives when they use adult movements and dance to these same songs. In other words, they are encouraged to ‘wine up’ and ‘do yuh ting bai/gyal.’ Parents send their young children to the shops to purchase alcoholic beverages and cigarettes. The laws of Guyana prohibit this. It is illegal for a minor to purchase alcohol or cigarettes. The shopkeeper and parents can be charged. It is illegal for a minor to be admitted to a bar; the person who wishes to enter the premises must show proof of age by presenting their ID to gain admission. It is illegal for minors to participate in or be part of certain gatherings; they must be put in an area designated for them separate from adults. These laws exist in Guyana and are not being implemented.
The playing of lewd, immoral and unacceptable music on the public airwaves is no different. It has been going on for a while in the form of advertisements. I therefore humbly suggest that if the administration is looking to take the lewd music off the airwaves, then they should also take a good hard look at the advertisements that are being aired today. Why is a ‘Back to School Jam’ allowed to be advertised? An ad like this invites school-age children to attend a dance and drink beers and Guinness and listen to lewd music and be out of their homes until late at night or the early hours of the morning. This is what morals in Guyana have sunk to. The authorities turn a blind eye to the law, and then cry foul when morals degenerate, and run around trying to fix it. While I fully agree with the removal of the lewd music from the airwaves, I also know that the problem cannot be solved unless the issue is fully addressed in its entirety.
I would be grateful if the Advisory Committee on Broadcasting would state its position on this issue, and whether it would apply to all television stations for audio music as well as video clips.
Yours faithfully,
CN Sharma
