CARICOM Heads flay violent, anti-social lyrics, denigration of women

CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana - Thursday, 29 February 2024: - The continued presence of violent lyrics in songs, the use of guns and the denigration of women have come in for serious condemnation by Caribbean heads of Government.

 Pointing to Crime and Violence as a Public Health Safety Issue among CARICOM Member States, the regional heads of government who met in Georgetown Guyana earlier this week, 

strongly condemned the development, presence, tolerance, or acceptance of violent, anti-social music and social media content that denigrate women.

They also condemned the “encouragement or promotion or support of the use of violence, guns, and other anti-social behaviour, particularly targeted to our Youth,”  while at the same time, In reaffirming the right to freedom of expression and to public speech.

CARICOM Heads of Government affirmed their support for engaging with young people in the creative economy, including the entertainment and music industry, and the sporting industry to develop, support and spread across the Region positive content to offset the negative impact of anti-social, violent, and criminal behaviour, which some elements in that sector promote and support. 

Given the serious, significant and chronic negative developmental impact that crime and violence is having on Member States, the CARICOM Heads committed to working with all sectors and institutions, including civil society, academia, labour, churches, our creatives, law enforcement, the judiciary, political parties, employers and businesses, and our external partners to implement all of the measures set out in the Declaration on Crime and Violence as a Public Health Safety Issue.

The CARICOM Heads said they  remain committed to maintaining this Region as a zone of domestic peace and safety to ensure the preservation of our Caribbean civilisation.

CARICOM Heads of Government met in caucus in Georgetown, Guyana, on 27 February 2024 to discuss the prevailing dire state of crime, violence, and public safety amongst its Member States. 

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