STING 2014 Has Stung Really Hard…..

Clashes getting out of control, physical altercations, gunshots fired, stampede, patrons fleeing for cover and artistes getting in trouble with the law. Sounds familiar? Another STING has come and gone and once again Jamaica’s entertainment industry has managed to grab ignominious headlines for the chaotic bottle throwing event dubbed ‘STING’.

I simply can’t fathom STING’s relevance after so many years given its tendency to descend into a fracas. Famous for clashes among dancehall rivals, STING is known to be marred with violence; yet, most Jamaicans continue to support this embarrassing and barbaric event. However, I must commend its promoters for doing an excellent job in captivating the interest of its target audience each year by billing the event around clashes between dancehall’s hottest artistes. It then comes as no surprise that Jamworld in Portmore is filled to capacity each year; great PR move Laing!

Violence has been STING’s tag line ever since its inception and apparently the patrons seem to anticipate its delivery. The pandemonium which erupted following Friday night/Saturday morning’s performances at STING was expected. Luckily the police had pulled the plug when they did. What a chaotic scene it would have been had the farce been allowed to continue?

Unfortunately, the mayhem on display at STING is a reflection of the indiscipline and aggression in our society. Whether we want to admit it or not, it is a reflection of ourselves, and incidents such as these are likely to recur unless the attitudes of our populace improve. We all need to take a serious look at ourselves; what we do, what we tolerate and what we encourage.

We have to grow up as a nation and in the process, we must set/demand better standards as a people. To have the biggest dancehall show being streamed live, and to broadcast chaos and disorder to a global audience is potentially damaging. Dancehall artistes, producers and promoters of dancehall shows need to protect the genre. The images of Jamaicans fleeing for cover at a stage show is decadent and demeaning of what we offer as entertainment and is certainly an insult to the legends who have paved the way for Jamaican music and entertainment.

What I find surprising too is the level of support/sponsorship that STING receives from corporate Jamaica. We find companies sponsoring irrelevant events while other more richly deserving events are starved of support. Is this the image and message corporate Jamaica wants to be associated with?

To the Ministry of Culture it is time to set some minimum standards for entertainment, to corporate Jamaica it is time to affiliate yourselves with uplifting events and to Isaiah Laing it is time to pull the plug on STING as apologies after the damage has been done is futile.

I am Laydee Sharmz, a die-hearted lover of dancehall music but I’ll never risk my life for it by attending STING. Would you? Blessings! Peace! One Love!

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