Licences granted for dancehall concert but promoters forced to pull the plug on November Freeze

POLICE objections to November 16’s dancehall concert November Freeze at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, have been overruled by a Licensing Committee.

However, the third instalment of the concert, featuring four dancehall and reggae artists, will not take place as Jamaican attorneys for two of the main acts, Akeem ‘Chronic Law’ Campbell and Najeeri received calls from officials in Trinidad, alerting them their entry would be denied on their arrival.

The two were expected to arrive in Trinidad late Thursday. Promoter Kyle Yarde confirmed to Newsday, that he would be forced to cancel the event as it is expected the other artists Govana and Phenique will also be denied entry.

“How can a show go on without the main acts? I just got off the phone with the attorneys for the artists in Jamaica. There is no show," he admitted.

On November 14, Magistracy Registrar Krishna Jaglal, the committee’s chairman, granted the event’s promoters Classic Kings the occasional dancehall and bar licences with an increased police strength of over 100 officers up from the 60 plus previously recommended.

Jaglal said the police failed to prove the event posed a risk to public safety or connection to gang activity. Newsday also understands that the police have since appealed the chairman’s ruling.

In a phone interview, Yarde questioned the police’s objections.

“How do you shut down an entire event? How can this be a crime-fighting strategy to hurt a businessman’s livelihood…

“I do not know where to start… I have sold tickets, paid for the venue, put a lot of money into the event and two days before you come and want to shut down the event? It is very sad. We are not the source of the crime.”

“Why are they targeting us? How can a promoter recover from this?”

He said there were no incidents at the event in 2023. His next step, he admitted, would be to take legal action against the State.

“Why is the state targeting promoters? Is that the initiative to fight crime?”

In his ruling, Jaglal said the only evidence presented to the committee was the artists scheduled to perform.

“There's no other evidence.” He said the billed acts performed previously and there was also no evidence to show there was an upsurge in criminal activity or that a collaboration with one of the singers and a Trinibad artist led to an increase in gang violence.

Jaglal also said there was no evidence that the promoters were involved in wrongdoing and the police had admitted at the hearing they had nothing on them.

Interestingly, Jaglal said, the police also did not provide evidence that any show or public event in TT, in the past, led to an upsurge in gang activity. He said he had to balance the public’s rights to threats to public safety and protection against an individual’s rights to freedom of expression and speech, and the promoter’s ability to earn an income.

“It is a given fact that this event was held on two previous occasions at the same venue with the very same artists scheduled to perform…The police have presented no evidence to prove there was an increase in gang violence.” He also said because of the venue and traffic logistics, police would be able to mitigate any incident that may arise.

During a hearing with the Licensing Committee, acting ASP Wayne Stanley, of the Special Investigations Unit, responsible for monitoring gang activity, presented evidence citing public safety risks and rising gang violence as reasons for their opposition.

Police are concerned about potential connections between certain dancehall and reggae artists and individuals with known gang ties. Stanley highlighted that the lyrical content of some performers' music glamorises gun violence, drug use, and explicit themes, potentially contributing to an environment that could incite violence. The heightened scrutiny also follows recent gang-related incidents in the music community, including attacks and homicides linked to Trinibad artists, which have amplified concerns about security at such events. This event follows a series of recent denials and revocations for other gatherings due to similar safety concerns. Just last week, a party in Beetham Gardens was cancelled after police argued that it presented public safety risks. In another instance, an event celebrating Trinibad artist Kman Sixx’s birthday was called off in Port of Spain for lack of necessary legal approvals.

Officials have pointed to the persistent rise in gang-related murders across the country in 2024, with the majority concentrated in districts with historically high violence rates, such as Port of Spain and North East Trinidad. Police argue events linked to artists with gang affiliations or lyrical content promoting violence could exacerbate public safety concerns.

Attorneys Jason Jackson and Krysan Rambert represented the promoters. Cpl Reagan Ramanan represented the police.