While several corporate area selectors are disappointed at the cancellation of live events due to the confirmation of cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus in Jamaica, some are already looking to the even greater negative effect the pandemic will have on the local economy.

“The ban will have an extremely negative effect economically. Many tourists visit this time of year, and so there will be a negative impact all around on the economy. Jamaica is home for entertainment and it fuels the tourism industry and many others, so I hope everything will be restored to natural order sooner than later,” Gahmael “DJ Laing D” Laing told the Jamaica Observer.

Laing D noted that since his career began in 2016 he has never experienced such a setback. He shared that 13 events that he was booked for over the next two weeks have either been cancelled or postponed.

“There have been natural disasters that may cause the occasional event to be postponed, but never to this extent where weeks of events are being postponed,” he said.

Marlon “Boom Boom” Wizard, principal of the weekly Boom Sundays dance in Grant’s Pen, St Andrew, noted that this is the worst period he has been through in his 11-year career.

Wizard also raised concerns about colleagues who prepared their events for months, but are forced to hold off.

“It really a affect di promoters weh a plan dem events from last year for dis appointed time an’ dem haffi put it off. A whole heap a money spend towards di events. It a affect we as DJ too, because without parties wi cyaa mek a dollar. It really sad, but at di end of di day, it haffi cancel,” he told the Observer.

ZJ Nova (given name Chantele Roye) agrees that no other phenomenon has ever disrupted the entertainment industry like COVID-19.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this. The closest thing would’ve probably been if parties were cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances like permits not being granted, rain or ZOSO [zones of special operations],” she said.

Among the many events which have since been postponed or cancelled are UWI Carnival, Frenchmen Weekend, BRT Weekend and Jamaica Carnival.