Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton has accused the Irfaan Ali-led government of “feeding our young people a diet of lawlessness” through the kinds of musical concerts it sponsors.
The accusation comes on the heels of the recently concluded Guyana Cricket Carnival which saw regional singers such as Spice, Skellibeng, Beres Hammond, Ravi B, Machel Montano and Patrice Roberts performing at the two super concerts sponsored by the government.
On Saturday, while addressing the Guyana Youth and Student Move ment (GYSM) – PNCR’s youth corps – Norton said that current Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson is “visionless”, adding that he has no plans for the development of Guyanese culture.
“Were he a serious Culture Minister, he would recognize that with the advent of oil and gas in Guyana he should be putting resources into developing indigenous music so that when people come here they will see things Guyanese but he cannot have that vision,” Norton said.
Norton told the youth gathering that it is the aim of the government to just reduce young people to just entertainment. He said that most of the music, particularly referencing dancehall, is not even that popular in Jamaica which is the birthplace of the genre.
“…they [government] are feeding our young people a diet of lawlessness. When that is done they are destroying your moral fabric. When that is done, they are creating conditions for the men to be abusive to women. Because a lot of it [the music] is derogatory about women. When that is done, they are removing your critical thinking capabilities.
“As young people, I say entertain yourself, have entertainment but ensure the entertainment will contribute to your positive development. We have to recognize that we need to guide our young people into the path that will serve the development,” Norton told the gathering.
At his weekly press conference yesterday, Norton reiterated his position while citing the preamble of Guyana’s constitution in relation to young people. The constitution basically states that young people are the future of Guyana and they are to be protected.
The Opposition Leader explained that the APNU+AFC is not against concerts and other forms of entertainment but rejected the PPP’s approach of “anything goes” once it could be labelled as entertainment. He added that they believe that a government is obligated to provide facilities and opportunities for young people to find entertainment, recreation, leisure, and enjoyment.
“Sure, let us have music concerts and shows. Sure, let us cater for the wide range of interests and desires of young people. But let us also work with our youths to develop them into citizens who can realize their full potential and be their best selves. Let us give our youths the respect they deserve and not abuse their genuine desire for good entertainment for perverse political ends,” he said during yesterday’s press conference.
He also accused the government of using the concerts as a means of corruption and “enriching” their friends.
Norton maintained that his party is not against music nor concerts but that they are going to oppose the promotion of music and artists that promote disrespect of women, lawlessness and violence.
“We have heard good music from Buju Banton. We have heard good music from Bob Marley. Beenie Man has some good music and so it’s not a question of music per se. If we are selective in the artists, then we will promote a culture that instills certain values in young people. But if you bring the worst of the dancehall music, if you bring those that are degrading and not focused on developing young people with dignity, then we have to oppose it,” he said.
Back in 2019, shortly after he was released from prison, Buju Banton performed in Guyana at the “I am Legend” concert. The event was among a lineup of shows as part of the Guyana Carnival calendar of activities.
At that time, Norton’s party was in power and some $40 million was reportedly spent on tickets by the government. The tickets were distributed by then-government minister Amna Ally. Ally had denied using state funds to purchase the tickets.
With more than $800M generated from “lotto funds” to the state annually, some critics have said that it was the avenue used to channel the money for ticket purchases. In 2019, over $900M was received from the Lottery Company. Those monies can be deposited entirely into the Consolidated Fund or spent by the government on social, cultural or other projects it sees as fit for the upward mobility of its people.
The recently concluded Guyana Cricket Carnival, as part of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), saw activities over a number of days. The events ranged from food festivals, super concerts, and costume parade but the government has been silent on what the bill for those events look like.
