Office of the Prime Minister

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Dancehall artistes Vybz Kartel (left) and Mavado share a conversation while on their way to the Peace Management Initiative meeting at Jamaica House today (December 8). The artistes met with Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Daryl Vaz, Minister of Education, Hon. Andrew Holness, and Minister of National Security, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson to seek to resolve the Gully/Gaza conflict. The Information Minister said that several initiatives have been agreed to deal with tensions that affect the image of Jamaica and the artistes.

Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Daryl Vaz, has said that an agreement reached Tuesday (December 8) between recording artistes Mavado (David Brooks) and Vybz Kartel (Adidja Palmer) at Jamaica House in Kingston, should reduce tensions between their fans.

"The meeting was very amicable. The issues raised by both sides were noted and all have resolved to have this matter put behind us, going forward, from now through the Christmas season," Mr. Vaz said after the meeting.

The closed door meeting also involved: the Minister of Education, Hon. Andrew Holness; Minister of National Security, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson; representatives of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports; head of the Peace Management Initiative (PMI), Bishop Herro Blair; and chairman of the National Transformation Programme (NTP), the Reverend Al Miller.

Mr. Vaz said that the meeting emphasised the Government's responsibility to intervene in the situation created by the Gully/Gaza controversy, which has resulted in tensions between the fans of the dancehall artistes and the threat of violence in schools.

Dancehall artistes Vybz Kartel (left) and Mavado (center) easing the Gully/Gaza tension at a Peace Management Initiative meeting at Jamaica House on Tuesday December 08, 2009. Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Daryl Vaz (left) shares the moment as both artistes pledged to embark on several peace initiatives that will stem the controversy. The dancehall artistes emphasised that they are not enemies and it is just about the music. Partly hidden is Minister of Education, Hon. Andrew Holness.

Minister Vaz outlined the five initiatives which were agreed on at the meeting as: a peace concert; a T-shirt bearing both artistes' image; a joint treat; Christmas "paint out" of graffiti; and collaboration, appealing to their fans to leave the competition to them and their music.

Mavado told the meeting that he agreed that they both had a duty to talk to their fans, "and not only talk, but we have to do things towards mending the situation and mek the people see we are only searching for a brighter day."

Kartel said he agreed and blamed the dancehall tension on people taking things out of context.

"People ought to know that David (Mavado) and I never had anything personal. We have never had any personal animosity over the years," he added.

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