Sturge: Vybz Kartel restricted due to children

DEFENCE Minister Wayne Sturge justified the restriction placed on an upcoming visit by Jamaican dancehall artiste Adidja "Vybz Kartel" Palmer by citing the well-being of Trinidad and Tobago's children, answering questions from Newsday at a post-Cabinet briefing at the Red House, Port of Spain, on Thursday May 15.

The ministry said Kartel may perform at a pre-arranged concert but not undertake visits to communities nor conduct media interviews. Known as World Boss, Kartel was released from ten years in prison after the UK-based Privy Council, in March 2024, quashed his life sentence for murder citing juror misconduct.

Sturge fielded questions when he later joined the briefing, after earlier Attorney General John Jeremie had sidestepped the issue.

Newsday had asked Jeremie to weigh up the contrasting effects of two laws in respect to Kartel's visit, namely the right under TT's Constitution to freedom of expression and movement, as opposed to terms and conditions that may be set down in a minister's permit allowing a foreigner entry to TT under the Immigration Act.

Jeremie opted not to.

"No. That is a complicated thing. I can't do that this afternoon for you. What I can say is the minister has exercised his powers under the statute (Immigration Act.) That's it."

Asked if he would have had to lend legal advice to Sturge, who himself is an attorney, Jeremie said, "I looked at the statement he put out and I was comfortable with it."

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said, "It is always a balance. You don't have rights that are ultimate rights.

"AG, you will agree with me? I taught him constitutional law."

She said people have the individuals rights and there are also the rights of the community.

"Minister (Sturge) has made a policy decision within the law that this is offensive and therefore does not strike the proper balance.

"If you walk around the country today, yes, express yourself. But not at the risk of our children.

"That is one of the restriction. I say no I am not going to let him go and talk to our children and do TV shows and whatever.

"So it is a balancing. It is not an absolute right. There is no absolute freedom and absolute right for any person in our country in our law."

Sturge, replying to a question, said the government did not fear a backlash from Jamaica due to TT's restrictions on Kartel.

"Several of our neighbours have the very same legislative provisions which their respective ministers have exercised, in some instances to refuse entry to Trinidadian artistes. So there is no backlash because it is a discretion that has to be exercised, in this instance not only in the best interest of the country as a whole but more particularly one has to have regard to the interest of children."

He said a consideration of TT's children was mandated by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been incorporated into the laws of TT.

Saying the material contained in Kartel's songs must also be considered, Sturge said, "So the protection of the children must be paramount."

Asked about Kartel saying he was a reformed man, Sturge replied,"Well, I don't expect him to say that he is not reformed. He has how own agenda.

"I also don't wish to say that I don't believe him, but we have to act on the basis of evidence."

He said Kartel in jail had sought freedom claiming to be near to death.

"The moment he was released he made a miraculous recovery."

While saying he knew of Kartel saying he wanted to talk to youths avoid avoiding a life of crime, Sturge said his conviction was not overturned on merit but on the basis of juror misconduct.

"So the credibility and reliability of the evidence led against him at trial was not in any way undermined."

He said only a draft order now exists, with him still to meet all stakeholders towards making a final decision.

"What we must not do is give the impression we are giving legitimacy to someone who only recently was released from death row for murder, and whose conviction was not overturned on the merits."