Mr. Vegas Begs Jamaican PM To Keep Churches Closed
Dancehall veteran, Mr. Vegas, who is known for his outspoken and independent views, has issued a call to have Jamaican churches remain closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced during a press briefing last Monday (11th) that COVID-19 restrictions will begin easing from this week with the reopening of churches for a two-week trial period. The measure will take effect from May 16 and face masks must be worn and social distancing has to be maintained inside the churches.
Using his Instagram account yesterday, May 12th, Vegas tells the PM who was tagged: “Do not open the churches. Blood ago deh on your hands.”
He then begins the video by appealing to the intellect of the Jamaican PM. “Mr Holness, you know say me’s a man whey respect you as a scholar, as a leader, as man way you and me sit down and reason bout Goat island and you listen to the voices them of Ziggy Marley and the people dem whey did ah cry out. Me ah call out pon you again yuh know, don’t open the church and them,” he began.
Vegas then offered up more of his advice and suggested that schools could open, as long as students wear masks and he even says it would be less detrimental to open dancehalls as opposed to churches.
“Jamaican Christians them, when them get in a spirit and ah spit and ah froth and ah touch each other, nobody can contain them. Ah the Holy Ghost ah go have them all over each other. No mask cah stop that. When Holy Spirt lick, mask fly off, Mr. Holness,” he continued.
He added that the disease is still very much a threat and remains highly contagious and the actions he described above would only add to the infections on the island that now stand at 507 (May 13th).
Vegas argued that the church should not be given preferential treatment and that it is not above any other organisation or industry in Jamaica. He added that people can pray at home and use social media to connect.
Even though critics will say that he is not a fan of Christians or the church, Vegas said he wants his message to be heard because he feels firm that churches can wait to be reopened. He gave a timeline of early next year adding that besides social distancing, some of the pastors just don’t live right.
He then calls a pastor’s name as an example and said that the pastor got a 12-year-old girl pregnant and served eight years in prison for the offense. He then calls several other names of pastors who have been embroiled in scandals and who have been charged for various sexual offences against minors.
“Mr. Holness if you open the church and them ah more people get sick and drop out, blood ah go dey pony uh hands”, he said.
He then questions the difference in treatment for different sectors of society as he said people of the ghettoes were treated harshly by the police during the lockdown and he also questioned why Elephant Man and others who breached the quarantine laws weren’t arrested and charged. [Elephant Man was arrested and charged.]
By opening churches the PM has dropped the ball, he added. No Christian leaders have healed anyone during this crisis, he continued.
“Come on Mr. holness me know you love Jesus but just think what Jesus woulda do right now. Him woulda say fee be wise as a serpent. Me ah trust yuh fee withdraw May 17th, church affi open. Make we contain the virus first man. People dey ah foreign and cah come home and yuh ah go open church. Me woulda love come Jamaica ah right now but me cah come because you woulda put me in quarantine,” he said.
He ends the video with another appeal to the PM to heed his warning as he played his song Stay Inna Yuh Yard which was released on April 29.
Most of the fans in the comments seemed to agree with Vegas, like this fan who said: “Vegas me agree wid u me breda dont open the church if u open the church then y a bar or dance hall cant open joke thing this I dont agree god help us”.
Even though his sentiments may be echoed by his fans, the decision rests solely with PM Holness and his government and only time will tell if it was a prudent one or not.