Lioness on the Rise, Queen Ifrica, has responded to detractors who have been criticizing her for meeting with Prime Minister Andrew Holness. The reggae/dancehall artiste met with the PM last week to discuss concerns relating to bauxite mining within the buffer zones of the Cockpit Country.
The “Below the Waist” deejay, her partner Tony Rebel, and Bounty Killer, met with Holness at Jamaica House last week, a move which saw scores of people pouring out their wrath on the artistes after Holness posted photos of the artistes at the meeting, laughing and posing for photographs and Queen Ifrica and Holness sharing a tight hug.
Some critics claimed the artistes were pandering to the whims of the Prime Minister. Others questioned whether their motives were genuine, while some claimed the artistes were not from the Cockpit and so could not represent them at any forum.
Last weekend, Queen Ifrica, who is fresh from her European summer tour, clapped back in two Instagram posts noting that she has no reason to show hatred to anyone, including the Prime Minister.
“For all those who are so upset about I getting Hugs and Kisses From The PM, I am The Goddess of Love Wherever I Turn Up it’s Love And Laughter. Don’t Worry a Response will come from us soon #Jamaicapeoplefirst #Lovewins,” she wrote beneath the same photo of her embrace with the Prime Minister, which she reposted on Saturday.
On Sunday she posted a video in which she said while the Government had explained it is doing its best to protect the Cockpit Country during the meeting, she preferred that no mining takes place there. She then blasted the naysayers who have been complaining, asking whether they too were willing to go to the Government to air their grouses and speak with “one voice.”
“Chatting or Real action?! To all those who are so quick to judge myself, Tony Rebel and Bounty Killer, for standing up with The people who are seriously affected by the happenings in their communities. Are you willing now to lend your voices loudly to the continued call for no mining at all in the cockpit country?! Or, you guys just love to talk in social media and that’s it?! Well coming out of the meeting the people need us even more now so all those who are claiming to be so upset about the meeting are you ready to stand in one Voice?” she asked.
“Let us know please and thanks because we are still standing with the people of Jamaica for betterment so let’s see who is willing to stand with them, This is not a overnight thing it’s very complex, so to get the desired results that we need it as to come from One Voice! Where is that one voice are we going to hear it even louder now?” she added.
She was supported by Bounty Killer, who responded in full caps: “MUCH IS BEING SAID SISTER PUT ALL VOICES AS ONE ACCORD NO LOOSE CHATTINGS.”
But her compatriot Mr. Vegas had an entirely different take on the matter.
“Chat dem love chat mumma. Demonstration organized and dem did not even share it nor show up. Dem have one little rasta man weh a dem spokesman a gas dem up on internet. Yuh stay deh waste time pon black bud! Yuh nuh see how early Marcus died? A Sunday! Guh eat yuh Ital and stop get gray hair like me over black bud!” Mr. Vegas said.
