Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness met with Queen Ifrica, her partner Tony Rebel and the Gruggadzilla aka Bounty Killer at Jamaica House yesterday. The PM met with the entertainers to discuss their concerns relating to bauxite mining within the buffer zones of the Cockpit Country.
It seems persons claiming to be from the Cockpit are now jealous of the three despite them being instrumental in using their platforms to bringing attention to the general public and the world. The entertainers were also prepared to sacrifice their cordial relationships with Government Ministers, to ensure the environmental integrity of the Cockpit Country is not breached.
Queen Ifrica, in particular, has come under an onslaught of verbal attacks from political activists, because of her anti-mining comments directed at the Holness administration.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister pulled out all the stops to assuage the fears of the trio, as he posted photos from the meeting where a Powerpoint presentation on the boundaries was made to them along with discussions. The strategy to enlighten them appears to have worked as all three were smiling from ear to ear, and posing with the Prime Minister and his posse, with Ifrica and Holness evens sharing a big bear hug.
“This afternoon, I had a very engaging conversation on the area designated as the Cockpit Country Protected Area with Queen Ifrica, Tony Rebel and Rodney Price (Bounty Killer)), along with members from the Forestry department, Daryl Vaz and Matthew Samuda,” the Prime Minister posted on his Facebook Page and Twitter last evening.
“There is much misinformation in the public domain and I engaged them with the facts. This Government took the bold move to ensure the Cockpit Country is protected. The Government is looking at the issue of the Cockpit Country in a comprehensive way. We are currently on the ground physically marking the area in a process known as ground trothing,” he added.
“The discussions were enlightening. I restated my position that this Government remains committed to protecting the Cockpit Country. I ask members of the public to refrain from disturbing the markings from the ground truthing exercise,” he continued.
But no soon had the Facebook post been made that posters started to crucify the artistes.
“What expertise do these entertainers have on the subject matter? It’s all good and well to discuss the issue with them but this is serious business not “show” business. I don’t particularly like Queen Ifrika, she’s a little bit too nuff for me. But seriously now sir, what do these folks know?” Donna Clarke said.
“We need town hall meetings not meeting with a few artiste because number one I have a voice of my own,” Mertlyn McFarlane declared.
“With a lot of respect Mr. PM, where are the citizens of the Cockpit in that meeting and what are the misinformation? That meeting doesn’t include any geologist nor farmer from Trelawny. How will these artiste distinguished between the correct information and the misinformation and they are neither experts nor residents? I am happy for their advocacy but that meeting doesn’t have enough stakeholders,” declared Tareque Shevaure White.
But despite the uproar, the PM also had some who were on his side.
“These three have spread much of the misinformation in the public arena, PM. It was an excellent idea to “reign them in” and “educate them”. Often times, these “artists” are not intellectually equipped or possess the mental bandwith to process matters of this latitude…,” Novelette Sue said.
“If you do, you dam and if you don’t you still dam. What the hell some of you want from the PM? He was asked by Bounty to have a talk and he honoured it. Queen Ifrika was busy chatting off her mouth so he obliged and included her also. ONE STEP AT A TIME. some of you just love to chat… is like your mouths should be where your anus is… it full a crap,” Glo Turney said.
