Trinidad police targeting Jamaican deejays
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — The Trinidad and Tobago police say they will move to block from entering the country, any regional or international artiste whose music contributes and appears to influence gang-related activity and behaviour.Express newspaper today.
“We are already trying to deal with that (gang-related activities) and we cannot afford any longer for these artistes to come here with their music, which influences and ignites gang behaviour, which leads to serious crimes being committed,” Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Gilbert Reyes told the
His statement followed an attempt to prevent the Jamaican singer Romain ‘Ryno Di Stinger’ Anderson from entering the country to perform at a concert here over the weekend.
Anderson managed to slip into the country even though the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service had been put on alert to prevent his entry.
Reyes said he had written a letter to National Security Minister Martin Joseph, requesting that Anderson be debarred from entering the country.
“Apparently by the time the letter reached the Minister, it was too late because he (Anderson) had already arrived in the country and was given clearance (by Immigration officials) to enter,’ Reyes told the newspaper.
“His (Anderson) music has gang lyrical content and we do not want that here. Anyone who has that type of lyrical content in their music, we are going to write to the government and ask that they be blocked from entering the country,” Reyes added.
Anderson changed his stage name from Blak Ryno to Ryno Di Stinger after he left Vybz Kartel’s Portmore Empire in February. But days after Anderson announced his acrimonious departure from the group, his home was shot at by gunmen and an apartment he rented torched. The singer is now associated with a new syndicate called Garrison.
Vybz Kartel has been barred from performing in a number of Caribbean countries, with St Lucia being the latest regional country to refuse the dancehall deejay a work permit.