Take on other charity projects, Shaggy urges fellow artistes
DANCEHALL artiste Shaggy is urging other artistes to give back to the country in whatever way they can.
Shaggy, whose given name is Orville Burrell, made the call at this week’s Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange at which the details of his benefit concert scheduled for January 6 were also discussed.
The platinum-selling recording artiste, who is the conceptualiser of the charity concert Shaggy and Friends, put on to bolster the country’s health care resources at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, believes that while the task at times will be difficult, it is worthwhile.
When asked if he would take on additional projects, while speaking to editors and reporters at the newspaper’s Beechwood Avenue offices in Kingston, the entertainer said: “No.”
“…I’m a believer that you can dig 50 holes one foot deep or you can dig one hole 50 feet deep. I’m not doing this for some recognition. If I’m not making a difference then it makes no sense. My 50-feet hole that was dug at Bustamante, you must be able to see that. If I start taking on everything else, then that’s the difference,” Burrell said.
The Bustamante Hospital for Children is not just the only paediatric hospital in the English-speaking Caribbean, but here in Jamaica, is the only paediatric hospital which offers specialised health services for children.
It was 15 years ago that Burrell saw the conditions at the hospital while visiting a friend’s son who had been admitted there. Moved by what he witnessed he vowed that he would do whatever he could to make things better there for the country’s children.
“…That’s what I’m trying to inspire. We’re all here to support each other and inspire but let somebody else take up something. Mi not going try take up everything; I don’t need that stress. I have enough stress with Bustamante. Someone else can take up KPH (Kingston Public Hospital) and Cornwall Regional [Hospital].
“I am inspiring people to do that, and if they need me to help them, I will. I don’t mind sharing the knowledge. I want people to look at this and when they do, say this is great. It’s hard to get started, but you have to persevere,” he said.