RECALLING the words of my late father during my teenage years “The Blackman is his worst enemy”, which at that time had left me clueless, but nevertheless out of curiosity sought an explanation, and when one specific instance was narrated?,

at that juncture I pledged unto myself conscious upliftment, which enabled me to conduct extensive research, reading books such as the Grounding with my Brothers and How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, by our very own the late Dr. Walter Rodney. In addition to Rasta and Resistance, Prison Letters of George Jackson; The Autobiography of Malcolm X; The Destruction of the Black Civilization; along with memoirs of Garveyism, Jamaica’s National Hero; Trinidad’s Stokely Carmichael; America’s, Martin Luther King; The Rosa Parks Story and others too numerous to mention, and not foregoing religious texts.
So, in actuality my spiritual rebirth would have influenced my attraction to hardcore reggae, albeit conscious lyrics. Fast forward to September, 2012 featuring a pirated Jamaican soundtrack, performed by a Black Guyanese one man band artiste, titled Bamsie. Editor, apart from being social degrading and a desecration of womanhood, the obscene, abominable, lewd, uncensored and vulgar lyrics remain a clear indication of how low moral decency and black consciousness have sunken in our beloved but yet still blighted land of Guyana.
Where are the collective voices in condemnation, moreso, the mass pro afro based cultural groups, organisations and the major opposition party. Have they fallen to sleep, or are they ashamed to publicly castigate the action(s) of a Black brother. Failure to act would be tantamount to creating an uncontrollable monster that would have adverse and negative effects among the youthful black populace, many of whom would continue to be mis-educated.
Instinctively, I can recall in the 1980s when the late President, Forbes Burnham ordering a song by Jamaican DJ, Yellow Man off the air, since the lyrics were distasteful and nonsensical but definitely not vulgar. While in Grenada a few years ago, the Culture Minister had warned anyone caught promoting any dance/show featuring passa-passa would be prosecuted. “It must pass the island like a hurricane” she further lamented. Within this context, what’s the difference between our local blacks and our regional contemporaries; in the outright condemnation of vulgarity, lawlessness and downright stupidity?
As a consequence I’m appealing to be subject Minister of Culture, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony, in consultation with the Advisory Broadcasting Board and prominent stakeholders in civil society, to sit and discuss the adverse and negative effects of the song. While ensuring the artiste, songwriter, arranger, composer, studio owner/manager, sponsor and other related individual(s) are subjected to feeling the “full force of the Law”.
This comes against the backdrop of the song being played at an exceedingly high level in taxis, minibuses and mobile CDs sales cart, but most importantly, not on the local air waves. Despite this, the damage has already being done and the law must be applied meaningfully and justifiably!