Delomar wants entertainers to help move country forward - Joins Bounty Killer in offering wise words in Seaview Gardens

Dancehall artiste Delomar believes that entertainers have a lot to offer in moving the country forward, and it was for that reason that he quickly accepted Bounty Killer's invitation to be part of a peace-keeping initiative organised by the police for the community of Seaview Gardens.

The St Andrew South Police Division, through the Community Safety and Security Branch, organised a series of meetings, one of which was held in Seaview Gardens last Thursday.

"Bounty told me that some police link him because dem want him come to Seaview come give a speech on crime and violence because there's a gang war going on now as we speak. And when him tell me that he wanted me to be a part of it, I wanted to do it, because anything that have to do with making my country better, I want to be a part of that," explained Delomar.

He said he thought it would be a performance, so when Bounty Killer called him up to "offer some wise words", he wasn't fully prepared.

"But with so many things going on in the country, it was easy for me to talk about that. I feel good knowing that I do my part just to even make my voice heard. And, who knows, it might probably create an impact ... just by my voice... because I think that artistes have a lot of power in developing the country and how the country run," he said.

During his speech, Delomar noted that it "feel a way fi be inna the community unda dem vibes yah ... but as Killer seh unnu push dem [the criminals] out people".

Delomar pointed out that while the police were there to give assistance, the community members also had a duty. "At the end of the day a oonu a guh uncomfortable, so push dem out."

Delomar praised the "great initiative by the police to reach out to Bounty Killer" and told THE STAR that he was grateful to the 'Poor People's Governor' "for actually asking me to be a part of it ... and it felt real good".

He shared that one thing he noticed was that many young persons were not present. Reflecting on the impact that artistes can make on inner-city youth in particular, Delomar said that if artistes can "sing about certain things and the youths dem pick it up and run with it, then if we all decided that we are going to practise preaching peace and unity then the youths dem a guh gravitate to it as well".

He emphasised, however, the need for better parenting by the entire community.

"When I was growing up me did haffi careful how me a do or seh certain things pon di road, because yuh woulda have a elder who woulda [discipline] me and tell my mother ... and then mi mother beat mi pon top of it. But now ... once you touch a man pickney, da parent deh get so upset and want fi war. All of these things change with generation and yuh reach a stage where artiste or police a come inna the community fi try fi get fi curb your child who dun already bruk out," he said.

He implored youngsters to think for themselves and not blindly follow a leader who is leading them down the path of destruction.