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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
 Recently I had the honor of sitting with a few local musicians and entertainers. Soon we began discussing the state of our music industry in Grand Bahama and what ails it. This was not a short conversation. However, one of the many topics that came up, and for a while dominated the discussion, was the presence of or rather the seeming omnipresence of The Police Pop Band at Grand Bahama socials.
Before I go any further let me say that I am a fan of the police pop band. The musicians and entertainers that are part of this band are known to me and I consider them friends. I appreciate their music and enjoy them every time I get to experience their artistry.
That said. It seemed to bother those entertainers whom I spoke with greatly. They pointed out the trend that had developed with the advent of the northern division of the police pop band. And that for some time now the pop band has been “taking bread out of the mouths” of already struggling musicians on this island.
One entertainer expressed to me that it borders on criminal what the commissioner is allowing it seems that every event that entertainers bid for they get out/under bid by the pop band which can provide much larger ensembles for equal or less than them. For instance, Wilfred Solomon and the Magnetics. Now, had this group been a private entity i would have no issue with it or what it does. But considering that we, the tax payers, some of whom are musicians, we pay these police officers to protect and serve us. In fact the mandate of the RBDF is “protection of life and property” so how is it that our semi-military, government employed, tax payer funded, police officers are allowed to team up and form a group among themselves to compete directly with private citizens for privately funded contracted labor and in-turn deprive them of revenue that would have otherwise become their property. What is the mandate of the police band!?!?
I’m sure it’s not to compete with private citizens for jobs. THIS IS WHAT WE DO FOR A LIVING!!!!. How could our government allow public servants, operating under the auspices of the Commissioner of Police, empowered by the Minister of National Security, allow them to compete with and take bread out the mouths of these men and women and their families?
Persons who have studied and strived to develop their disciplines so as to earn an honest living from it. Persons who have then plied this craft and paid and continue to pay taxes through revenue generated from this craft which in-turn facilitated the very existence of the pop band?!?!? There must be some breach of some section of the police act, the public service act, the labor laws or some provision of the statute laws of the Bahamas here.
I cannot convey the sense of dismay and the feeling of helplessness, and betrayal these musicians and entertainers have expressed to me in this letter. And sadly now this practice has become commonplace and is commonly accepted throughout Grand Bahama.
But you may ask, “Why don’t they speak out about it?” First consider the alternative here. Speak up publically, as I am doing now, and risk possible targeting and victimization by an organization that has almost ultimate and near unimpeachable power.
Risk the possibility of being on the opposite side of some fence or the other from and out of the good graces of "The Force." Being an ex police officer I fully understand what that could mean for the average person. So let me conclude with this request, a simple plea for decency and fairness to those in power for those they are to represent and protect.
So I am herein and hereby humbly and gracefully imploring the commissioner of police, the commandant of the RBPF Band and the Minister responsible for national security on GB, along with the Ministry of Tourism, that you look into this matter with a view to eliminating any occasions, instances, possibility or opportunities for future instances wherein the Royal Bahamas Police Pop Band Northern Ensemble would in any way disenfranchise tax paying Bahamian entertainers and musicians by unfairly competing with them for work in private events and functions.
Also that, wherever possible, local live entertainment bands be hired to perform in their stead or along side the pop band at government functions and socials.
And that where the pop band is required to represent the RBPF, that it be mandated that the vendor or organizer be required to hire local private entertainment as its headliners and that any funds budgeted for entertainment be paid to local and private entertainers.
This I feel would go a long way to cease the already present undue hardship visited upon these already struggling and under appreciated artisans.
With this I digress,
Nat Cambridge
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The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his/her
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