Dear Editor,

The altercation between Pastor Gino Jennings of the First Church of our Lord Jesus Christ and dancehall artiste Clifford Smith, popularly known as Mr Vegas, that occurred on the grounds of the Young Men’s Christian Association has been causing a media firestorm. It has made the news in almost every electronic and print media platform across the island and is the topic of discussion on every corner, in every bus, and soon maybe even Parliament.

There is nothing wrong about discussions or debates to address issues, whether in church or Parliament, but the conduct and behaviour of those involved can determine the discussion’s fruitfulness. The late Ian Boyne, for years on his programme Religious Hardtalk, carried various controversial topics and numerous controversial individuals and, though the debate became heated at times, Boyne kept the programme in order. He did not use his extensive knowledge to bully his guests or have them ushered off the programme. The discourse between the artiste and pastor never needed to have got to the point of security physically removing the artiste. Pastor Jennings should have continued addressing Vegas’s points and building on the foundation to his own points using the Bible.

I believe everything went haywire when Pastor Jennings broke his response to ask Mr Vegas a question to which Mr Vegas replied that he will answer in his given time. The next 29 minutes of the ordeal seemed like a clash at the Sting stage show, with the pastor following the artiste around the stage, taunting him.

Now, unlike Boyne, who would have ended with a “Part Two to come”, the clash ended with the artiste disgruntled and the pastor beating his chest.

Lord, lend us back Ian Boyne to teach Pastor Jennings, please.

Hezekan Bolton

h_e_z_e@hotmail.com