Vision Clarke and Richard Singh, the singers of “Chiney Don’t Know Who’s We”, have been summoned by the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) to address the contents of their song.
The commission said it will keep the public informed as it works toward addressing issues within its mandate to promote harmony and good relations among all peoples of Guyana.
The body has also said that it was recently made aware of the song “Good Like Jesus” by Jamaican artist Vybes Kartel, which it said, contains “blasphemous and deeply offensive statements concerning the Lord Jesus Christ”.
“The ERC strongly condemns the contents of this song, which is profoundly disrespectful to Christian religious sensibilities and undermines the values of reverence, respect, and harmony that underpin Guyana’s multicultural society.”
The ERC reaffirms that while freedom of artistic expression is a protected right, it is not absolute and must be exercised in a most responsible manner with due regard for the religious and cultural values of all communities.
“Any form of content that mocks, trivializes, or desecrates sacred religious figures erodes the foundations of mutual respect and threatens the peaceful coexistence of our diverse society,” the ERC said.
The commission is now calling for the said song to be banned from the airwaves in Guyana and to be removed from all digital platforms and cease any form of public dissemination, within Guyana.
“This action is a necessary measure to prevent further injury to the Christian community and to uphold public standards of decency and mutual respect.
The ERC will be engaging the promoter of the upcoming concert featuring Vybes Kartel to directly address this issue. The Commission expects full cooperation in ensuring that the event does not contribute to the spread of this offensive content that undermines interfaith harmony.”
