#BTSpeakingOut – Play Bajan music, please

The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.

by Aleiya M. Brewster

I would be happy if you can publish this letter for me as soon as possible.

First of all, I wish to offer my condolences to the Starcom Network family in respect to the passing of John Doe and especially Dennis Johnson in addition to the friends and family of the deceased.

However, as I write this correspondence, I would like to deflect to another subject which is dear to my heart.

Dennis, as everybody knows, was a Caribbean man and it is no secret that he had differences of opinion with the folk at Starcom some times in deference to their treatment of Caribbean and I guess by extension to local music.

I am worried that after his passing there will hardly be a voice in Starcom to police the merry go round happy train that continues to scorn Barbadian music.

No one can tell me that during the month of November that a concerted effort cannot be made to play more Barbadian music. As one artiste said one year, he could not wait for November to come around to make an extra dollar.

I have been checking each and every Starcom station since November started. While they spasmodically play local music, one cannot see that there is a trend. The average percentages basically the same.

And I am afraid that after Dennis’ passing, there will be no systems in place to control the runaway trains at the station.

I am presently listening to 95.3FM and VOB 92.9 and I checked The Beat and now I am listening to their Gospel station which from my observation and from talking to friends is the biggest culprit.

Since November there is no concerted attempt to play Barbadian music on the Gospel station and while I am at it, I would like the NCF and Independence coordinators that when they are inviting Gospel artistes to dance or sing that they should stipulate that as far as Independence events are concerned, only pieces involving local music should be used. If this is not done whither the state of the music on this island?

We understand the church is not a very patriotic body but the people controlling these stations can certainly set the policies in place to ensure there is respect for our independence as a people, regardless of Christian or not.

In closing, I am saying to Starcom Network, whether you are Trinidad owned or not, respect the fact that we are Barbadians first.