6 days ago
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Promoter Patrick Roberts has sought to assure fans that the recently implemented State of Public Emergency (SOE) in parts of St Andrew will not disrupt this year's staging of Ghetto Splash, scheduled for Tuesday, December 17, at the Waterhouse Mini-Stadium.
Roberts promised attendees "100 per cent safety" and guaranteed that the event would go on as planned.
"It wouldn't affect it," Roberts told THE STAR. "As precedence has set it, in 2022 [and] 2023, they had a state of emergency in the area, and it never affected us. This year, we are not being affected by it - it won't affect the show," he stressed.
Roberts explained that while the SOE targets sections of the St Andrew South and St Andrew Central Police Divisions, these measures are focused on specific crime hotspots.
"St Andrew South is a big area, and they have confined pockets of where the hotspots are. Where the event is hosted is not a crime hotspot under the state of emergency," Roberts clarified. He pointed out that the Waterhouse Mini-Stadium, the event's venue, is currently hosting Jamaica Premier League matches without issues.
"The Hunts Bay police will be fully in charge of our event," he said.
The SOE was declared just over a week ago in response to escalating criminal activities and "gang-related warfare" in parts of St Andrew. According to the Office of the Prime Minister, these activities pose a public-safety risk to residents, commuters, and bystanders using these areas as thoroughfares.
Despite this, Roberts assured supporters that preparations for Ghetto Splash are in full swing. A line-up featuring Aidonia, Govana, Tommy Lee Sparta, Skeng, Yaska, George Nooks, Tarrus Riley, Skippa, Jamal Dunceman, Jahmiel, and Blacker, among others, is already confirmed.
"The artistes are eager to grace the stage, and the patrons are ready to reverence the unity," Roberts declared.
Roberts emphasised that high-level security measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of attendees. "We got the assurance from the police up to this morning when I had a meeting with them. Boots will fully be on the ground, right through the division and within the event, while there will be police patrol on the outskirts. So their presence will be very, very visible," he said.
"They have nothing to fear. All they need to do is come and enjoy themselves. This show will host more of the 'cream of the crop' younger generation of artistes as well as a mix of artistes from yesteryear to provide a full package of entertainment," Roberts added.
Fans can also expect surprise performances from guest artistes, a hallmark of previous stagings. Over the years, stars such as Shaggy, Sean Paul, and Capleton have made cameo appearances, and Roberts hinted at more surprises for this year's event.
English (US) ·