St Kitts Nevis Labour Party must pay

The issue of non-payment for the unauthorized use of music has once again reared its ugly head. And the popular song “Get rid ah them” from 2015, remains at the center.

It was back in 2023 that Vincentian lawyer Franklyn “Max E” Edwards, announced that he had successfully negotiated an out of court settlement with Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, over the unauthorized use of the work.

That song, “Get rid ah dem” first released in 2015 and sung by Vincentian Fabulous T, is owned by its producer Adrian Bailey – the musical genius behind Kevin Lyttle’s mega hit “Turn Me On”.

Edwards recalls that the popular song had first been used successfully by the then opposition St Kitts Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) on their way towards being elected to office in 2022. The lawyer contacted the SKNLP and negotiated an out of court settlement with lawyers for that political party and was awaiting the expected payment. However, despite the amount of time which has elapsed since, the promised payment from the SKNLP has not been forthcoming.

Worst, the entertainment lawyer reports, he is now being hosted by lawyers of the SKNLP which currently holds the reins of power in that country. And now, three years on, Edwards finds himself knocking on a brick wall with the political party’s lawyers over their non-payment.

It was the effectiveness of the composition as a campaign song in St Kitts and Nevis which had influenced the Gaston Browne led Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party to go ahead and use the song without permission, but with some lyrical changes.

The SKNLP, without accepting liability, decided to agree to an out of court financial settlement. However, three years on, they have stopped communicating with the US-based Vincentian lawyer.

Max E Edwards intends to take his clients’ representation to the end and is actively pursuing the issue. At the same time the entertainment lawyer is taking the opportunity to remind songwriters of the importance of registering their creations with a copyright organization. He is also sending a warning to users of recorded material of the importance of first obtaining a license from a copyright organization such as East Caribbean Copyright Organization (ECCO) so that the owners can be duly compensated.(Contributed by Dextar Communications)