While fans expressed concern and criticised Trinidad and Tobago after an immigration order was issued for Vybz Kartel, the dancehall star appears to be unbothered by the limitations. He has expressed that the items cut from his itinerary for his upcoming Trinidad and Tobago visit were added by the promoter and not himself.
The deejay addressed the order issued by the twin-island’s Defence Minister Wayne Sturge, restricting his activities. The minister cited his past illegal issues while expressing concern that his initial busy itinerary could lead to his interacting with vulnerable youths in the country. As a result, he was barred from participating in a radio interview, TV appearance, meet and greet, lunch with community leaders, and visiting a school or youth centre from May 27 to May 28.
In an Instagram post, Vybz Kartel explained that there were no issues with the changes that had been made and assured fans he would be performing. “There is no problem with Vybz Kartel performing in Trinidad… The problem lies in where the promoter took it upon himself and tried to fill Vybz Kartel’s itinerary with things that had nothing to do with Vybz Kartel’s performance,” he claimed.
He emphasised that the minister took the right action in pulling the plug on the additional activities. He also gave the government a shout-out and advised the promoter to “do better”.
The recent restrictions have sparked mixed reactions, showing that Vybz Kartel’s overturned murder conviction remains a topic of debate. The Jamaica Star reported that Julian Jones-Griffith, a respected music executive, highlighted Kartel’s shift toward family and music, saying his efforts deserve support, not restrictions.
Dancehall artiste Laden, reflecting on his own experience with the justice system, also shared this sentiment and called it “unnecessary and unfair”. He highlighted that the United States did not restrict him.