Believe it, there are some among us who would not care two hoots if Jamaica descended into a Hobbesian state of nature, providing they profit materially. These champions of the basal are uptown, mid-town and downtown. They advance relativism as the formula to propel us into the stratosphere. In effect they are selling lit fuses that are directly attached to barrels of gunpowder.

The recent banning of music which glorify illegal drugs, guns, and various acts which are in direct contravention of the Broadcasting and Radio Re-Diffusion Act is an important spoke in the wheels of self-serving advocates of anything goes, anywhere, any time, and anyhow.

I agree 100 per cent with these directives from the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica (BCJ), which were issued recently:

1) There shall be no transmission through radio or television or cable services (including music charts), of any audio or video recording, live song or speech which promotes and/or glorifies scamming, illegal use or abuse of drugs (eg Molly), illegal or harmful use of guns or other offensive weapons, “jungle justice”, or any other form of illegal or criminal activity

2) The broadcast of any edited song which directly or indirectly promotes scamming, illegal use or abuse of drugs, illegal or harmful use of guns or other offensive weapons, “jungle justice” or any form of illegal or criminal activity is strictly prohibited. This includes live editing and original edits (eg edits by producer/label) and the use of near-sounding words as substitutes for offensive lyrics, expletives or profanities. To be clear, the broadcast of a sampling of any song which promotes or glorifies scamming, illegal use or abuse of drugs (eg Molly), illegal or harmful use of guns or other offensive weapons, “jungle justice” or any other form of illegal or criminal activity is prohibited.

Free-to-air broadcasts are for general public consumption. Those whose daily bread is music which glorifies drugs, debases women, celebrates murders, and puts scamming and related acts of lewdness, crudeness and depravity on a pedestal must suckle from sources specific to themselves.

Unfettered freedoms, really?

Unfettered freedoms do not exist in real life. That is why self-respecting societies are governed by the rule of law. Yet, over many decades, some among us have been tacitly and overtly advancing a rotten relativism which has helped to significantly undermine the social infrastructure of this country.

As soon as the BCJ issued its directives some took to the airwaves mouthing condemnations. They drew for the usual suspects. “Oh, this is censorship of the meanest order,” some bellowed. Others started to shed crocodile tears, while mouthing false claims about constitutional rights being contravened. And many — whose fruits tell who they are — remonstrated that the Government was using the directives of the BCJ as a “crime-fighting tool”. Their tenuous claims are conspicuous. We cannot strive on their crumbs.

“Even in hell there are rules,” is a popular saying. Nowadays advocates of all forms of relativism, much of it imported from up North, tell us that nothing/no one is absolutely right, and nothing/no one is absolutely wrong. “It is all in in the mind,” they argue.

Really?

These mental giants, often individuals with a long trail of letters behind their names, tell us that because nobody is right or wrong, and nothing is right or wrong, all behaviours are to be tolerated and embraced, even when the majority of a society disagrees.

What brilliance!

I think those who believe this country is worth fighting for had better wake up and realise that the Barbarians are inside the gate. Crassness is now a fully fledged disease in our music. Violence is celebrated. Objectification of women is glamourised. Smoke emanating from assault weapons, sending the clear message they have just been fired, are now commonplace in what some continue to hold up as art. Gang wars, the defence of turf, ganja smoke rising like a cloud cover, drinking of expensive liquor, and women gyrating in various states of undress have all but eclipsed the social agenda that our music used to be famous for. Yet, some continue to close their eyes to the vicious and deadly impact on the entire society. Their motivations are obvious. ‘Eat ah Food’ is their chief concern and to hell with Jamaica seems to have become their motto.

Unmistakable correlation

There are tons of credible research findings that pinpoint a direct correlation between music and the way humans feel and act. Yet, like the proverbial ostrich, some among us — for reasons and motivations best known to them — continue to bury their heads in the sand regarding that fact.

Since music can make us feel relaxed; influence our buying habits, levels of productivity; improve our mood; lower our blood pressure; and, among other things, influence our perception of the world, it is a common sense deduction that music can and does influence us in positive and negative ways.

Music can influence aggressive thoughts and encourage crime and violence. It is not rocket science, well, maybe except for those among us who are hell-bent on investing in ignorance. Those who pretend to be blind, dumb, and deaf to the debilitating impact of music that promote murder, mayhem, and the belittling of innate human worth, usually because of personal financial gain, do not mean this society any good.

Some who spew poisons via free-to-air broadcasts scream that the “heavy hand of the BCJ” has descended upon their innocent shoulders because the long-standing crime monster is on the prowl. I am happy that executive director of the BCJ Cordel Green has rubbished this piece of sophistry.

Consider this: “Green underscored that the commission has repeatedly ruled against stations that have played songs that promote or glorify illegal activities, but it has asked the radio stations not to call the names of the songs or the names of the artistes when they broadcast apologies.

” ‘This matter is drawing attention because it is a specific approach to regulation that we have taken, because we see it as a problem that is systemic. But if persons pay attention to radio and television, almost every week there is an apology being aired for various content- standard violations.

” ‘These violations are documented in the commission’s annual report and the quarterly reports that we put out. On some occasions — and it happened with the ‘daggering’ songs, which were a certain type of songs with some themes — the commission then moves in and does something that is systemic other than dealing with each radio station and each song every time there is a complaint…

” ‘Once the commission identifies that there is something that is systemic, and it is not just like one radio station that has committed a breach… then it intervenes, and that might be the reason that this intervention is getting attention. But we are not [just] entering now, we have always dealt with content that is problematic.’ added Green.” (Jamaica Observer, October 13, 2022)

Recently Prime Minister Andrew Holness noted that the basal elements which some promote and put on a pedestal should not define us as a people. Said Holness: “Whap whap and chop chop and Ensure and all a dem…all of those things have their place, but they can’t define us, we should not allow that to define us. When another country says I don’t want your artistes in my country, it’s an embarrassment.” (Jamaica Observer, June 13, 2022).

I agree!

This Rock must be preserved for our children and their children’s children. Anything goes is not it!

I believe our music, dancehall in particular, has near lost its mind.

We are deep down a rabbit hole, and some would want us to keep digging, even faster. While many locally refuse to see the obvious danger, some of our Caribbean neighbours and several countries globally have been seeing the red flags and taking action by banning artistes from Jamaica whose repertoire is encapsulated in that which is the banal and the grotesque.

Countries have a duty to protect their borders not just from physical incursion from external forces, but also from putrid influences that will maim and damage their citizens. We have neglected this critical role for far too long.

Whether the genre is soca, reggae, dancehall, or whatever does not matter to me. If the music is created and paid for by people uptown, midtown or downtown is inconsequential to me. The fact is the rot has to be halted. Why not now?

A better Jamaica

A better Jamaica is possible. I fervently believe that. And I believe every Jamaican, whether here or in the diaspora, has a responsibility to do whatever positives he/she can in their corner/sphere of influence/responsibility to leave Jamaica in a better state. All of us, whether great, small, or in-between, can leave a positive legacy for future generations if we so choose.

At the recent handing-over ceremony of the Roseneath Park Housing Development in Old Harbour in St Catherine, Prime Minister Andrew Holness vowed not leave Jamaica the same way he found it. He said, among other things: “I have passed the stage of needing to win political popularity and favour. It does not matter to me anymore. I have to start to think about legacy. What will Jamaica be? Will it be the same as I came and saw it? I can’t let Jamaica be the same as I came and saw it.”

The late Sir Winston Churchill, prime minister of Britain, famously said: “The difference between a politician and a statesman is that a politician thinks about the next elections, while the statesman thinks about the next generation.”

Having the record as the winningest prime minister for some might be the summit of their ambitions. That is understandable. But if Jamaica is no better socially, and economically, after several terms in the highest elected post in the land, that to me can only equal one thing — abject failure.

I have said in this space that I believe our winningest prime minister to date, P J Patterson, has been our worst. I have provided evidence for that statement in previous columns. I stand by my position.

I believe every generation has a responsibility to create markedly improved social and economic conditions for the one coming after. I believe in that approach. I hope Holness’s legacy declaration will inspire the entire country to think long term.

Water is life!

On the matter of improved social and economic improvements for the present and generations that will come after us, I think one of the critical areas that will determine the standard of life is access to and the quality of water for all Jamaicans.

I think the minister without portfolio with responsibility for the environment Matthew Samuda is doing a commendable job regarding the provisioning of water for thousands of citizens throughout the country. We bash our elected and selected representatives when they do not do a good job. I have no difficulty with that. We tend not to commend them when they do well. I do not agree with that. Encouragement enhances performance.

In recent months thousands of Jamaicans have been given access to or got improved access to potable water. This is a step in the right direction. I grew up in rural St Mary, so I know what it is to carry water ‘on mi head’ from a community standpipe. There are still parts of the country where citizens do not have access to potable water. They have to access the precious commodity from springs and rivers. The challenges with drinking untreated water are well known. Based on information in the public domain, just under 125,000 citizens have already started to benefit from access to and/or improved access to potable water supply since Samuda was appointed in February 2020. This is a good look, as they say in the streets.

Local and international experts have told us that Jamaica has enough water for all the needs of its citizens. Jamaica’s water quality is among the best in the world. Experts say the raw water quality in Jamaica is generally good across many locations and it is not tainted by some of the pharmaceuticals and chemicals found in the water in many countries.

We must cherish our water resources.

Garfield Higgins is an educator, journalist and a senior advisor to the minister of education & youth. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or higgins160@yahoo.com.