The police have issued a stern warning to entertainers and selectors who continue to use profane or obscene language during their live performances at events that stiffer penalties are on the horizon.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Steve McGregor, changes are set to be made to the Towns and Communities Act, which will enable law enforcement to clamp down on the use expletives at public gatherings.
Cops say the act will be updated in order to reflect significant changes in modern society as opposed to when the bill was passed in 1843, and will most likely include stricter penalties to deter offenders.
Despite the warning, some entertainers have already voiced their concern with the impending changes, claiming that the law will not necessarily helpful in all cases.
According to at least one selector, Chris Dymond, it is unnecessary to charge entertainers for the use of a few expletives during performances unless it is excessive as ‘bad words’ remain a distinctive feature of Dancehall/Reggae culture.
The disc jock claims that totally barring profanity will only serve to water down the authenticity of the culture, pointing out that such restrictions are not applied in many other countries around the world.
