The Media Association Jamaica Limited (MAJL) notes the latest release from the Minister with Responsibility for Information regarding efforts to clean up music accessible to members of the public through the electronic media and in public spaces.  The focus on public spaces is commendable and welcomed by the MAJ as it has been a point being raised by us since March of this year and was repeated again in our presentation to a Parliamentary Committee last week.

The Association notes that the Minister has said that “…regulatory intervention is necessary…”

It concerns us in the media that further regulatory action appears to be contemplated on media, while it is patently clear that many other laws to do with noise abatement, obscenity, use of graffiti (which falls under breaching the anti-litter law) as well as threatening behaviours and actions are seemingly not being tackled immediately and resolutely”, the MAJ said in a statement on Tuesday.

The MAJ repeats its call for the actions to be consistent and coordinated.

Since last Friday when the Minister said the MAJ was being hypocritical, the Association has copied him with the Association’s correspondences to the Ministries of Transport and National Security as well as to the National Transformation Programme in which the Association has been offering to help in a law and order and behavioural transformation programmes.   The MAJ has also reminded of the voluntary and no charge contributions being made to the celebration of our national achievements, the Peace and Love in Schools (PALS) programme, the Crime Stop programme and many more.

Since March the MAJ has been asking for collaboration and enforcement of present laws and regulations, to achieve change rather than for the enacting more laws and regulations.

“We stand ready to support the offers we have made!” the MAJ statement said.