Vybz Kartel No-Show Triggers Investigations In Trinidad, But Promoter Can’t Reclaim US$950k Performance Fee
Dancehall star Vybz Kartel is being raked over the coals by angry fans as the days drag on since his no-show at the One Caribbean Music Festival in Trinidad and Tobago. The weekend’s fiasco has also triggered financial investigations in the country and raised questions about contractual obligations and the festival’s management.
Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo has said his ministry will be working closely with the police in the probe into the matter. On Sunday, Tancoo said his ministry was engaging in a fact-finding mission concerning how the company got access to that amount of forex, especially given the forex crisis the country is currently experiencing.
“The investigation is continuing. I think the Financial Intelligence Unit of my ministry will be liaising with the police with regards to their own investigation. So, we will, at the Ministry of Finance, support the investigation conducted by the police right now,” Tancoo said.
The incident has also sparked a conversation within the creative industry about the high fees promoters pay foreign acts in comparison to locals. There have been jitters among concert promoters and patrons in the islands such as St. Kitts with the upcoming St. Kitts Music Festival.
Irate patrons of the event have demanded a refund from Jacho Entertainment Limited. There has been a major brouhaha on online sites all over the Caribbean over whether Vybz Kartel should reimburse the promoters despite having an iron-clad legal contract.
One social media user said: “The man just come out ah jail he is old now and running out of time…wha yo expect……can’t blame the guy.”
Other comments addressed the magnitude of the contract and the foreign exchange issue.
“Soo i not sure what the contract is . but every country is different, in trinidad we have a forex issue which makes it difficult for the promoter to meet the requirements. So technically its not the promoters fault if he has the money but cant access it. Kartel got a payment to confirm the booking. Even though he didn’t get the full payment, i personally think he should have been in the country at least and then make a decision if he’s performing or not,” one commentator said.
Other users grabbed their popcorn and seemed to enjoy the debate, leaving satiric comments like: ‘Thief from tief goes make God laugh’ and the equally hilarious: “He use the money buy sidem cyber truck.”
Other users debated Kartel’s heavy price tag even though Jamaican promoter Josef Bogdanovich shelled out US$4 million to produce Kartel’s first show out of prison.
“It’s no way this jailbird worth U$D1.35 millions to perform in a concert in Trinidad, hell nooooo,” one railed.
Others were even more demonstrative in their ire.
“HOW THE HELL ALLYUH PAY KARTEL 950,000 US$$ AND HE NEVER SET FOOT IN TRINIDAD HOW HOW HOW. THE MAN JUST HOME AND COLLECT ALL THAT MONEY FOR FREE .YEA GOOD LUCK GETTING YOUR MONEY BACK,” another railed.
ONLINE TICKET RETAILERS ISSUE REFUND
In the wake of the flopped concert, two online ticketing retailers have promised that customers who used their platforms to buy tickets for the event will be reimbursed.
With the concert flopping, many ticket holders have been seeking refunds. Two online ticketing agencies, Frontline Ticketing and Island eTickets, have promised to refund customers.
Yesterday, Island eTickets chief technical officer Matthew Encinas said the refund process will begin tomorrow and completed within five business days.
The statement also acknowledged that the absence of three artistes, including headline act Adidja “Vybz Kartel” Palmer, Miguel “Sizla Kalonji” Collins and Ghanaian-American singer Moliy from the advertised line-up of performers had prompted their decision.
“At Island E-Tickets, our top priority is protecting the interests of our customers and maintaining the integrity of events listed on our platform,” the release said.
We have conducted a thorough review of the One Caribbean Music Festival and can now confirm that three of the headline performers who were advertised to appear did not perform.”
Ticket prices ranged from $670 for general admission to $2,700 for VVIP.
Kartel was the first of the foreign acts to pull out of the event hours before the show at the Queen’s Park Savannah, citing a payment dispute.
The event’s organisers subsequently indicated that Kartel had received US$950,000 of a contractually obligated US$1.3 million before his decision to pull out of the concert due to their failure to meet the final payment disbursement.
Other Jamaican acts such as Sizzla Kalonji, Malie Donn and Rvssian, as well as Ghanaian-American singer Moliy, also pulled out of the event for contractual issues. The Ruff Kut band, which had been contracted to back Sizzla, also pulled out. Only dancehall act Akeeme “Chronic Law” Campbell performed that night.
Island E-Tickets noted their disappointment that the concert experience did not meet the expectations of patrons, noting that the differences between the event and what was advertised were “significant.”
Another online ticketing platform, FrontlineTicketing, echoed the stance taken Island E-Tickets’ lead, also issuing a statement indicating they will be issuing refunds for ticketholders. FrontlikeTicketing’s website noted that persons who bought a ticket on their platform but did not attend the event would qualify for a refund, but noted that all requests would be “reviewed and processed accordingly.”
In a release over the weekend, Kartel apologised to his Trinidadian fans. The World Boss noted that despite missed deadlines and concerns over the payment of fees, he urged his manager, Tee Jay, to show some flexibility and give the promoter “a bligh” in a bid to work with
“Tee Jay reluctantly give you a bligh. You missed deadline after deadline, me beg for you. I say Tee Jay give him a bligh.
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“Remember you (the promoter) wanted to keep the show during Carnival. I tell you, you cannot do that. Don’t mess with the culture.”
He added that he felt some degree of responsibility for the outcome, as he believed not every promoter could handle a Vybz Kartel event, but still maintained his respect for T&T’s Government and its people.