Cops ready to move against more foul-mouthed Sumfest acts
WESTERN BUREAU — The St James police confirmed yesterday that they were preparing summonses for more artistes who breached the Towns and Communities Act by using expletives on stage at the recently-concluded Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay.
“We are in the process of preparing some summonses for some of the artistes who performed on Dancehall Night,” Superintendent John Morris told the Observer.
Last week, Deputy Superintendent of Police Derrick Knight told the Observer that the cops were reviewing tapes of the week-long reggae festival to determine if anyone else should be charged.
Yesterday, Morris said the review was now complete and the police had found that more artistes had breached the Towns and Communities Act.
He, however, declined to name the artistes or say how many for whom the summonses are being prepared because of what he said were “security reasons”.
“Until the summonses are served, it would not be wise to say who will be served (because) we may never find the persons if we disclose their names now,” Morris explained.
He reiterated that the police are getting tough on artistes who believe that they can flout the law by using expletives on stage.
“We have to send a signal. The artistes must realise that there is a rule of law and that they influence a lot of people in the society,” Morris said.
Early last week Sunday morning, the police served deejay Sean Paul with a summons after he used expletives during his performance on the International Night of the festival.
When the matter came up for mention in court last week, his attorney, Tom Tavares-Finson, told the magistrate that his client was off the island but had asked him to make a guilty plea on his behalf.
Tavares-Finson explained that the deejay had contractual obligations overseas which, if not fulfilled, would result in severe hardships for his client and the other persons involved.
But Resident Magistrate Valerie Stephens, who presided over the matter, issued a warrant for the deejay’s arrest.
However, that warrant has been stayed until September 1, when he is expected to appear in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate’s Court.
Over the past few years the police have been videotaping the Reggae Sumfest festival and have been taking strong action against artistes who use expletives during their performances.
At the 2001 staging of the event, the police summoned to court, eight artistes who breached the Towns and Communities Act.