‘Blocked’ artiste was on Interpol red list – President Ali

SOURCE: Newsroom (Guyana) In a passionate plea to fellow Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders to safeguard the future generation, President Dr. Irfaan Ali called for a collective approach to ensure Caribbean music reflects a culture of unity and promotes positivity.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of the Heads of Government of CARICOM, hosted on Sunday at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown, the Guyanese Head of State was emphatic in the call to limit the incursion of music that promotes violence in the Caribbean culture.

The incumbent Chairman of CARICOM revealed that Guyana recently decided to block a popular artiste from performing in the country due to the artiste’s alleged involvement in illegal activity.

“For some, this may seem a soft issue, but this is fundamental. Only recently, Prime Minister [Dr. Keith] Rowley [of Trinidad and Tobago] and I were having a conversation when many young people, brilliant young people, questioned the decision of not having a certain artiste perform in the country [Guyana] because that artiste is on an Interpol red list”, President Ali said.

An Interpol Red Notice is the closest instrument to an international arrest warrant. Interpol (the International Criminal Police Organization) circulates notices to member countries listing persons who are wanted for extradition.

Though President Ali was not pellucid on the specific artiste, it was recently reported that Trinidad Dancehall star K-man 6ixx, who was expected to perform on February 23 in Guyana, was blocked from traveling to Guyana from Trinidad and Tobago.

K-man 6ixx, whose real name is Kashif Alexander Sankar, was banned from performing in St Kitts and Nevis in February.

Back in his homeland, he was charged with offenses under the Anti-Gang Act and for possession of ammunition, and over the last 12 months, the ‘Trinibad’ artiste has survived two shooting incidents.

“We do not need lyrics that promote violence in this region. We can promote good lyrics and lyrics that will move people in a positive direction and move people to think and act positively.

“As leaders of this region, we have to take this situation seriously and ensure the lyrics of the region are the lyrics of Bob Marley and the lyrics of positivity and the lyrics of positive living and positive change”, the CARICOM Chair enunciated to a resounding applause.

President Ali urged the leaders to “lead a revolution” against the violent narrative and reposition the Caribbean culture for positive living and upliftment.

“This is not about anyone or against anyone; this is for our region and the future of young people in this region.”

Ali affirmed that for the sake of the generation ahead, they must keep culture alive and invest in culture because “culture is what makes us distinctly different from any other region.”