Chuck Fenda promotes peace through music
As Montego Bay, St James, continues to be affected by crime and violence, reggae singer Chuck Fenda is imploring persons, particularly the youth, to give peace a chance.
The artiste told THE WEEKEND STAR that he is saddened by the fact that criminals have been allowed to run free in the tourism hotspot. He says crime is destroying a parish that is known internationally as the pride of Jamaica, and he wants the parish to return to its glorious crime-free days.
“I want to see Montego Bay go back to where it was years ago. Even as a teenager, we could walk in Montego Bay and feel safe knowing that a just tourist and hustlers we will encounter,” he said. “Right now, the way things set, Kingston, which usually receives the bad press, is sounding more like the tourist destination. Now, persons are not even safe in their own homes in Montego Bay.” Chuck Fenda, who is promoting his peace song, Jah Listening, told THE WEEKEND STAR that he believes music can be used as a tool in the fight against crime. He explained that music is very influential. He said that in the same way it has played its part in promoting certain messages of violence, it can be used to reverse those same lessons. “The music is very influential. I think it has played its part in what is going on in the nation because some man just a teach the youth negative things. That is why uplifting music needs to get airplay because we are the ones holding up the thing,” he said. “The children have these artistes as role models, so once they continue to glorify negativity, the youths are going to think it’s cool and act on it.” However, former government minister Damian Crawford, while taking Chuck Fenda’s points, said that the music cannot be blamed for society’s ills. He noted that music is a reflection of what already exists in society and said that it is the society that needs to change if crime is to be impacted in any real way. Crawford explained that research has proven that while music has the ability to influence people’s decision making, it does not influence criminal intent or murder in particular. With that said, Crawford called for society to reject criminal elements through their actions rather than pointing fingers at music.