Buju Banton is being blasted by Bajan Member of Parliament, Dr Sonia Browne over the support he has been getting since his release from prison.
The Grammy-winning entertainer created history in Barbados back in April after his Long Walk To Freedom tour was dubbed the biggest event ever held on the island.
It seems Dr Browne isn’t here for Buju Banton getting love in her country as she called out Bajans for romanticising the artiste.
In her contribution to the debate on the National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) (Amendment) Bill, Browne suggested that Buju Banton and Reggae King Bob Marley should not be seen as role models, the Jamaica Observer reports.
“I don’t think we quite understand the seriousness of the drug use and abuse. Let me clear it by saying I am a fan of Buju Banton. I admire his music, but when we got a society that more or less romanticises a gentleman coming out of prison, after spending a decade of incarceration on drug charges, when on his ‘long walk to freedom’ — I am not so sure from where — but when we can romanticise that and greet somebody like this at the airport and give them one of the biggest concerts…We need to change the perspective of our young people with respect to our heroes and heroines. We need to change the focus,” Browne told the Barbados Parliament.
“Yes, there are the Bob Marleys of the world, and I love him too, but from the perspective of the young people, they use him as a prime example that marijuana does nothing. Not everybody can benefit from the clarity I assume he exhibited from marijuana use. Not many people can belt out the lyrics he did. In fact, the majority can’t. We need to change the focus and move to different role models. We have a man like Mr Banton, that stepped out of prison and now I am sure he is a virtual millionaire. We need to change the focus of who we look up to for our young people,” she continued.
