Richie Innocent burns infidelity with ‘Body Camera’
Some spouses go to the extreme to catch an unfaithful partner. Poet Richie Innocent has devised a unique way to nab serial cheaters.
Body Camera, the title of a poem from his first book, suggests utilising technology that has assisted law enforcement for decades.
“I was inspired to write Body Camera as I entertained the thought of how helpful it would be to use the technology or invention as a deterrent to infidelity or extramarital affairs, and to bring about an openness that would be helpful to those having trust issues,” said Richie Innocent.
Infidelity, or ‘bun’ in Jamaican parlance, has become a major issue in Jamaica since the requirement of DNA to confirm paternity when children are being ‘filed’ for permanent residence in the United States. Many of those results revealed that husbands are not biological fathers.
Aware that the use of body cameras to expose cheaters is a long shot, Richie Innocent wanted to make a statement on a sensitive issue.
“As a writer, I want to spark a conversation that can lead to reasoning with ourselves internally in a positive way and interaction among others as to how important integrity is for us to have better relationships with each other daily, especially with the special bond we joined in our personal lives,” he said.
Body Camera is one of over 80 poems in Perseverance, Richie Innocent’s first book which was released last February. Describing the project as a “spiritual venture”, its content is similar to the socially-conscious songs he has recorded for over 20 years, such as Drugs fi Gun and Careless Shotta.
– Howard Campbell