BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AS his regional tour continues, Jamaican dancehall artiste Adidja Palmer, popularly known as Vybz Kartel, is facing restrictions on his scheduled visit to Trinidad and Tobago due to security concerns.
Kartel, who is set to perform later this week, was originally expected to make multiple appearances on the island, including a school visit and a community meet-and-greet. However, those engagements have been cancelled by the government.
Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge granted provisional approval for Kartel to enter and perform in Trinidad and Tobago but has since revised the timeline of his visit. His original arrival date of May 26 has been changed to May 29, with his stay limited to June 3, with Minister Sturge stating that based on intelligence and events in Tortola, "the allocation of scarce resources for the safety of the artiste and his entourage cannot be provided for this period, hence the decision to curtail his stay and movement”.
Since his release from prison last year, Kartel has become one of the most sought-after performers in the Caribbean, securing bookings across the region, including a highly anticipated performance at next month’s St. Kitts Music Festival.
However, controversy has followed the ‘Summer Time’ artiste. In Guyana, the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has raised concerns over the lyrics of his song “Good Like Jesus,” which it flagged as blasphemous.
According to reports from Georgetown, the ERC condemned the song, calling it "profoundly disrespectful to Christian religious sensibilities and undermines the values of reverence, respect, and harmony that underpin Guyana’s multicultural society”
Despite this stance, some in Guyana have criticized the ERC's position. The commission has stated that it plans to speak with the event promoter as Kartel is also scheduled to perform in the country later this week.
