Date: 21st November, 2024
Dear Chair and Members of the DFC,
I write to you, firstly, to commend you on the resounding success of the 2024 World Creole Music Festival (WCMF). This year’s event has showcased not only the vibrancy of our Creole heritage but also Dominica’s capacity to host an international music festival that attracts attendees from all over the world. The execution of the festival, the calibre of artists, and the support from the local and international community were impressive and have undoubtedly contributed to our cultural prominence on the global stage.
However, amidst the recognition of this achievement, Dominica’s dear children are on my mind, particularly as we celebrated yesterday the International Day of the Child. I note that there appears to be no express age restriction for entry to Dominica’s WCMF, and I wish to express grave concern regarding what appears to be the unrestricted admission of children under 16 years of age to the festival. There is no age restriction stated on the DFC’s website, on the Festival ticket, at the door, or elsewhere. If there is an age restriction, it is so well hidden that it appears not to be enforced. The WCMF is an event tailored to an adult audience, featuring music and performances that are often mature in theme and content. Held as an overnight affair and with alcohol readily available for purchase (and free delivery if in a VIP section), the event environment raises serious questions about the appropriateness of allowing young teenage children to attend, even if with a parent. The event is not PG-13.
I urge the Commission to consider the potential risks of allowing children access to such adult-oriented environments. An unfortunate and well-documented incident in Trinidad involving the artist Akon, serves as a stark reminder of the consequences that can arise when under-age persons are allowed in adult spaces. Akon’s controversial encounter with a minor at a concert—an incident that sparked widespread backlash—demonstrates the perils that can occur when boundaries between adult and underage participants are blurred. In light of that, it is imperative to ensure that similar scenarios do not happen in Dominica, where our responsibility to safeguard the wellbeing of our children must remain paramount. In the Akon-Trinidad incident, the under-age victim ‘escaped’ the age restriction in place and as such the event organiser and the country were at least able to save some face. If such an incident were to occur at our WCMF, we would have no excuse to offer at all, for we have no express restriction.
In 1991, Dominica acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, pledging to uphold the welfare of our children and protect them from environments that could jeopardize their mental and physical health. The Convention clearly emphasizes our responsibility to shield children from harmful influences and environments. Sections addressing the protection of children from sexual exploitation and potentially damaging content are especially pertinent. With the types of music and themes often presented at WCMF, access for under-16 attendees could contravene these principles.
We are all well aware of the ongoing concern among many parents regarding the playing of music with graphic sexual lyrics in public. Numerous parents have signed on to a petition urging the authorities to restrict the playing of such music in public spaces during the daytime due to explicit and pornographic lyrics and themes, which are inappropriate for children. Unfortunately, these pleas appear to have fallen on deaf ears. The current unwillingness to address these concerns only compounds the issue of children’s exposure to potentially harmful material, whether at the WCMF or in everyday public spaces. The phrase, “Nasty Business” was splurged across the stage graphics during one of the performances at the WCMF, indicating the celebration of this genre at the festival. Adults are free to do so, -but our children ought not to have been exposed to this. Shall we recount the lude dancing of our little ones caught on camera on Day 4 of the Ti-Village Creole? No doubt an effect of these types of exposures.
The Dominica Festivals Commission has an opportunity to lead by example in protecting our children and upholding the values to which we, as a nation, are committed. Implementing age restrictions for the WCMF and ensuring that underage individuals are not exposed to adult content would be a responsible and necessary step. I trust the Commission will give this matter the attention it deserves and align the festival’s policies with Dominica’s commitment to child welfare.
Once again, I commend your dedication and vision in making the WCMF a memorable event of international standards and trust that future festivals will be held in a way that respects the needs and safety of all members of our society, including our children.
………………………………………………
Noelize Knight Didier
Mother, citizen, lawyer
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