No Gov't involvement in BZR concert, says Grange

The Ministry of Culture and Entertainment says the Government made no commitment or payments towards appearance and other fees for BZR Weekend.

"The event was a private commercial engagement in which the Government was not involved," said Portfolio Minister Olivia Grange in a release.

American rapper Cardi B, in a live session on Instagram yesterday, had claimed that the Jamaican Government had stepped forward to offer to cover certain costs for the concert after she and BZR were at odds over payments and other issues.

“You never sent 2.5 [US$2.5 million]. Never. You never sent me 2.5 so what are you talking about?... how you sent me the rest of the produ... Yo, it was, it was, it was so much that even the Jamaica, even the Jamaica government was trying. They wanted to make it so right that they was willing to pay the rest. And I was just like, you know what, ‘It's just too much’,” said Cardi.

The artiste took to the internet after BZR WKND founder and CEO Ryan Burke, in an exclusive interview with CVM Television, claimed that the event had fulfilled its obligations to Cardi and that the company planned to file a lawsuit over the fallout from her cancelled appearance.

Days before the concert, Cardi B announced that she would not be performing at the event, which was scheduled for October 18.

This saw the promoters pushing back the event to December 20 and issuing refunds to disgruntled ticket holders.

In her live, Cardi B, among other things, disputed that she had received all payments and said she was prepared to go to court to defend her reputation and her business.

Grange indicated that Jamaica is not in a position to offer any financial support to the event given the current circumstances.

She cited a directive from Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, who has ordered the public sector to reprioritise public expenditure as the Government moves to accelerate Hurricane Melissa recovery.

“The Government is at this time constrained to limit expenditure on events, as the main focus is on prioritising recovery and reconstruction efforts following Hurricane Melissa.”

Grange said the Government remains committed to supporting the growth of its entertainment and cultural industries, including initiatives that strengthen the country’s international profile, stimulate tourism and generate economic opportunities for Jamaicans.

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