Parents disgusted at types of music played in vans

Some parents of children travelling in vans to and from school have expressed disgust at the types of music played on public transportation.{{more}}

They are also calling on the relevant authorities to do something about the matter.

SEARCHLIGHT spoke last week to 15 persons, who all sang the same note: the music played in the vans is not suitable for children.

“It’s becoming ridiculous now! The music these drivers play is negative, filled with bad words and has bad influence on these students in my opinion,” said Marcella Jack, the mother of a 9-year-old boy who travels from the Windward side of St Vincent to Kingstown for school.

The mother said that on different occasions she overheard her son singing a particular song that speaks to ladies “wining” up on poles and calling ladies for exposing their private parts.

When asked where he heard the song, he replied, “In the van, mummy,” the mother recounted.

A father of four, who gave his name as Nolan, told SEARCHLIGHT that he is very cautious about which van his children travels in.

“How can you be playing songs where an artiste is saying he is ‘badda than the devil’?

“Others complimenting the girls for having more than one man and they are not afraid to shot a boy. These types of music are the causes for the breakdown in morality in our society today,” the father said.

“Many of these kids I see in vans are very young — between ages 4 and up — and they listen and sing along to this nonsense,” he added.

Another disgusted parent is Cassius Cruickshank, who has one daughter and two sons attending a primary schools in Kingstown.

“One time I heard the youngest of my sons, age 6, singing a song where they talk about ‘wine and grind’ and other vulgar contents …

“Come on! I don’t play that music around him and where he heard it? In a van,” Cruickshank explained.

Mrs Barker, a mother of a 14-year-old secondary school student said: “As early as you enter a van is some sort of Kartel or Mavado or this Uncle Demon individual.

“Nothing positive is being played. Imagine you leave your home at 7 in the morning, after not too long saying your prayers and to get in a van to hear these negative songs that discriminate [against] women, promote violence and even demonic lyrics.

“This has to stop. These drivers need to be more responsible,” she added.

And head of the Traffic Branch of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kenneth John is encouraging persons to report to the police if and when they experience the playing of explicit music in public transportation.

He, however, warned that persons must be willing to assist the police in prosecuting the offenders.

John said that in cases of content, it is illegal to use curse words in public, whether in music or spoken by an individual.

He also explained that if the driver of any vehicle is caught playing music that contains explicit content in the presence of a police officer, the CD or whatever form of device the music is on would be taken away.

The individual will also be reported and charged.

“We cannot bring a charge if passengers are not willing to go to court.

“Most of the times, the passengers say, ‘officer I don’t want you to call my name.’ So we don’t get the evidence to take the person to court.

“And that is one of our biggest problems, because passengers are not willing to give the statements and we are left hanging,” the police officer further stated.

John revealed that on many occasions, traffic officers have been reporting individuals who are caught playing loud and explicit music in their vehicles.

“They (traffic officers) have been giving tickets left, right and centre,” he added.

The fine, if caught playing loud and explicit music, ranges from $250 to $2,000, or imprisonment for three months. (AA)