COP – Not every number should play this Carnival

This country’s Commissioner of Police has weighed in on the public debate on the appropriateness of the lyrical content of some of the songs produced this year for carnival.{{more}} Commissioner Keith Miller, speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, June 22, said that he was of the opinion that Godfrey Dublin’s ‘Any number could play’ sent a wrong message. “From where I sit, I sympathize with a number of mothers who come in and cry that their young daughter has run off or was encouraged to run off with an older man,” Miller said.

He continued that after he heard the song, whether or not the artiste was making a comment or highlighting an issue that is prevalent, and while some people may like the song, the Commissioner contended that there was no part in the song that spoke out against the illegal practice. Rather, the COP contended that some young girls may see it as an endorsement.

“We know adolescence – it’s an era in life where they face numerous challenges and if they did not get correct advice, they will be led down a road to destruction.”

“Artistes have the correct medium to help our young people on the right path, rather than making songs that make it appear that you’re endorsing something wrong,” he maintained.

Miller further contended that the song was doing nothing to help the plight of mothers who had filed complaints that their under aged daughters had run off from home to go live with an older boy friend.

“If this song was pointing in the direction where the artiste sang out against these things, I would applaud it, but from where I sit it is endorsing what the young girls are doing.”

He said that while people had voiced their objection to some of the other songs released this year, this particular one posed a problem.

Miller further explained that not because a girl is 16 years old that she can consent to intercourse as the song’s lyrics had suggested.

“Our adolescents need parental guidance,” he said, adding that while he was not dictating what should be on local radio stations’ playlists, he was, however, asking that they reconsider giving this song airplay. (DD)