ORGANISERS of the recently concluded Excellence in Music and Entertainment (EME) awards, disclosed today that award recipients who were not present at the 7th annual presentation ceremony at Devon House in Kingston on Saturday night will not receive the trophies.

The executive committee of the EME Awards made the decision that award recipients who were in Jamaica at the time of the event and who chose not to attend the event or send a representative to collect the award(s) on their behalf, have forfeited their rights to the trophy.

In a statement, EME chairman broadcaster Richard ‘Richie B’ Burgess said, “we realise that this is an unprecedented decision, but after careful consideration, we feel this is the right decision and something that must be done to protect the integrity and longevity of the event.”

“The EME awards was conceptualised to honour and recognise the accomplishments of our reggae/dancehall stars in categories such as Deejay of the Year, Best New Artiste, Vocalist of the Year, Producer of the Year and the new category Artist of the Decade. If those being honoured don’t see the need to attend or participate in the process, then they do not deserve to receive the award. Respect goes both ways. It is as simple as that,” Richie B reiterated.

Burgess said Shaggy and Wayne Wonder’s appeal to their peers to support the local artistes and local music points to a bigger problem in the industry.

“It is sad when international acts like Trina or Eve commit to travel to Jamaica, just so they can be here to collect their awards, while our own reggae stars choose to stay home. This is a symptom of a bigger problem in our industry that has to be addressed sooner than later. The industry is on a downward spiral. If corrective actions are not taken immediately, we stand to back pedal on some of the significant strides that were made by those who preceded us in the industry,” he noted.

On the positive side, Burgess said the EME Awards had many things to celebrate, including the international coverage the event garnered this year.

“A lot of work went in producing and promoting the event not just in Jamaica but to the international community as well. I am happy to report, we received positive pre-coverage in USA Today, Fuse TV, NY Daily News, Live News India, On Wax Magazine, Ace Showbiz, MTV, Hip Hop Weekly, Hip Hop Wired and Star Magazine in England, which all carried editorial content about the 2011 EME Awards,” he disclosed.

Richie B also noted that the EME website registered hits from as many as 176 different countries around the world including the USA, UK, Russian Federation, Belgium, Kenya, Poland, India and China. Search engine results on Google for EME Awards 2011 also reportedly reached nearly 500,0000, which Richie B says demonstrates the international appeal of our music.

Concerning the fate of future presentations, Burgess said the biggest challenge the EME faces is corporate sponsorship. “The truth is, much more assistance is required from corporate businesses, the JTB and the government if we are to survive,” he said.