A scene from the clash at the VGMAs
The nuisance and breakdown of law and order last weekend during this year’s Charterhouse chapter of the music awards night could have been worse than what unfolded.
The security breach was an indictment on both the organizers as well as the law enforcement agents responsible for managing the event’s security.
Charterhouse and the Police should have held a pre-event discussion over the security challenges since after the rivalry between two of the dancehall artistes and their rowdy youthful followers is household knowledge.
Yet both parties went ahead with the programme as though nothing was at stake. Â Matters bordering on security should not be taken for granted especially with terrorists in next-door Burkina Faso. Â The two – Police and Charterhouse – should be held accountable for the security mess that characterized the event.
It was a failed event which left in its trail a picture of irresponsible behaviour not worthy of patronage by respectable organizations unless a total overhaul is undertaken to obviate the kind of nonsense played out last Saturday.
While we condemn the Police for their poor performance in respect of the breaches at the event, we must be quick to add that it is relieving to note that two of the musicians have been arrested. We would have been surprised had that not been done.
Even though they have been arrested and possibly granted bail by the time this edition hits town, we ask that the law be applied to send a message that nobody is above the law in this country. We know they would be let off the hook because they are ‘celebrities’, an unfortunate reality which does not inure to the development of our society.
Law enforcement agents have often been soft on misbehaving so-called celebrities, allowing them to get away with security breaches.
It is about time these things stopped. We recall an incident in which a musician exposed his manhood in public and was quickly arrested and charged. That is what we expect in a society driven by rule of law.
The police officer in charge of operations has failed in his duties. What were his operational order and risks assessments? Did the officer do an appreciation of the possible scenario? Who were the soldiers in OG at the event and on the stage? Were they assigned by the General Headquarters to embark on security duties at the place? Confusion had enveloped the place and had somebody decided to be murderous, they would have had their way before being stopped eventually.
We have had enough of the nonsense from some gangsters who have found themselves in the bracket of local celebrities. Such nonentities should be delisted from the directory of celebrities because their negative influence on the young boys and girls in school should not be overlooked. It is instructive that two of the suspects in the murder of the teacher at Asiakwa wore T-shirts with the name of one of the local dancehall gangsters inscribed on them.
It is regrettable that some of the kids admire such bad celebrities even as they expose their genitals in public and sing songs unworthy of being played on public radio.
We should give less exposure to dancehall artistes who scream profane language in their songs because not doing so sends wrong signals to our children that such gangsters are worth hailing.
Such Bronx and Kingston rating gangerism should be discouraged in our society.