A great majority of Jamaicans are in disagreement with reggae legend Buju Banton on his stance in regards to wearing a mask as a form of protection from COVID-19.
In a video tirade on Instagram, the deejay encouraged his 1.2 million followers to stop wearing face masks to protect themselves from the coronavirus.
“Wi waan done with this mask-wearing bullshit inna Jamaica. Who fi dead a go dead, an’ who nah go dead ah fi jus’ live,” he said.
An online poll was conducted by 18 Karat Reggae and surveyed Jamaicans living in Jamaica, the United States, Canada and England. In total, 12,786 people participated in the survey.
72% of the responders say they disagreed with Buju Banton stance. Responses differ significantly from country, from a high of 90% of Jamaicans in the United Stated disagreeing to a low of only 55% of those living in Jamaican disagreeing with the Not an Easy Road singer.
A prominent police superintendent of the Jamaican Constabulary Force (JCF) who asked not to be named said he was highly disappointed by Buju Banton’s stance.
“With someone with so much influence; to be making such careless, baseless and irresponsible statements is quite alarming and has the potential to cause harm to many,” the superintendent said. “Why do motorcyclists wear helmets? To protect them from danger, injury and death during accidents.”
Others also disagreed with Buju but understood why the deejay took such a drastic stance. An Instagram user who goes by the name 876_run_tings said the following:
“No touring and no shows, selectors are also spending less on dubs and we all know music no longer sells. So while I think what he said is selfish and stupid I understand where he is coming from. Where you sit is where you stand.”
Reggae legend Toots Hibbert and legendary radio presenter Gil Bailey are just two of the many Jamaicans who have succumbed to COVID-19.
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