Promoters respond to Holness’ decree on entertainment

Effective July 1 through to August 10 small events not exceeding 100 persons – including organisers and support staff – are permitted, Holness announced among other amendments under the Disaster Risk Management Act in Parliament this evening.

This means general outdoor events such as round-robins, parties, community extravaganzas, corporate mingles can be held once the necessary approved standards from the appropriate government ministries, agencies and departments are satisfactorily met.

Under the revised curfew order nightly restrictions of movement begins 11:00 pm and ends 5:00 am the following day Mondays through to Saturdays, while on Sundays the order is enforceable from 6:00 pm to five o’clock Monday morning.

Fitzroy Gouldbourne, promoter of Absolute Crave, one of the biggest year to year parties in Old Harbour, said: “This is welcoming news for all the promoters in Old Harbour because the industry has been suffering greatly right through this pandemic.”

Another well-known promoter turned artiste, Paul Cardoza, who goes by the moniker Gaps 7G said: “It’s a good move for the small events promoters, small events vendors, at least it will put some food on the people dem table. It free up the summer and everybody want to enjoy them summer.”

The local entertainment sector has been one of the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, and a return to some semblance of normalcy is an opportunity they intend capitalise on respectfully.

“As promoters we will ensure that we put everything in place to ensure that our patrons are safe. We are still cognizant that a pandemic is still in effect,” said Gouldbourne, who is referred to as the ‘Dancehall Mayor’.

As the de facto spokesperson on parties within the Old Harbour space, the Absolute Crave boss added: “We greatly appreciate this… we also encourage all promoters to go and get the requisite permits… to host their events so we don’t have any run-ins with the law. We also urge all our party patrons to come out early… not because we have gone to 11 pm, keep the mindset that the curfew is eight o’clock. So we encourage all party persons to come out early and stay late until the curfew.”

Permit fees to staged events have also been slashed by 50 percent by the state through the municipal corporations.

Relaxing of the curfew measures doesn’t negate the fact that promoters must apply in advance for permits to host events, while bearing in mind the resource constrains within which law enforcers operate will determine whether or not permit is granted, delayed or denied, said DSP Damion Manderson, commander in charge of the St Catherine South Police sub-division of Old Harbour.

“It is incumbent on each promoter to make their application and make them early,” Manderson told Old Harbour News. “So based on the size of the event, the location of the event, the nature of the event and participants of the event, we can grant the permit with the assurance that we can provide the necessary security.”

The Old Harbour police chief warned that “we won’t accept excuses or breach of the regulations and the laws. There will be no excuse for person who said ‘I never know’. We not going to accept it and these persons will be charged heavily”.

Meantime, the New York-based south west St Catherine native Gaps 7G is hoping this is the first signal of further relaxing of the curfew order.

Said the artiste: “I hope it’s not done on a political basis and it’s done to help the people move forward. Technically there’s no need for any curfew but we just have to go with the flow.”