Postponement of Sting 2024 regrettable – Grange
Published:Friday | December 27, 2024 | 1:35 PM
Entertainment Minister Olivia Grange says it is regrettable to see the postponement of popular dancehall concert Sting.
On the day of the event yesterday, Supreme Promotions Ltd, organiser of Sting 2024, announced that it could not go ahead with the show because production company, Clearsound Production Services Group Ltd, withdrew from the concert.
“Hundreds of vendors and concessionaires have invested their money and wanted to recoup during the show, dozens of artistes have rehearsed and are waiting for their chance to shine, and thousands of patrons will be disappointed by the cancellation of the show but it is beyond my control,” said Isaiah Laing, head of Supreme Promotions.
But, Clearsound said it could not proceed, despite its best efforts, because Supreme Promotions has failed to honour their contract.
In a statement yesterday, the company said it was only paid $1 million with $7 million outstanding.
It said promises for payments went unfulfilled.
“We also received a photo of a purported RTGS transaction for $6.5 million. However, this amount remains outstanding, and we have gleaned information suggesting that the $6.5 million was never sent. It is important to note that this sum of $8 million does not constitute the total payment due for our services. Additional payment would have become due at sound check on December 26, 2024.”
It said the situation was further compounded by the fact that Clearsound was the only vendor at venue on the day of the show, pointing out that there was no security, fencing, lighting, and vending facilities, among other things.
The company said this experience with Sting 2024 has left it “feeling abandoned, unsupported, thwarted, and deceived in our endeavours.”
Reacting to the developments, Grange outlined that the Entertainment Ministry played its part in trying to make Sting 2024 happen, including having high-level meetings with the team to provide guidance on logistics and promotion of the brand.
She stated that the Ministry also provided the venue and set up support for the launch of Sting, as well as providing for the hosting at Jamworld Entertainment Centre in Portmore, St Catherine.
Grange added that she also publicly endorsed the show in furtherance of the Ministry's commitment to the industry and earmarked sponsorship support to defray some of the expenses of the event.
“It is, therefore, regrettable that due to other issues with which they are faced, Sting 2024 had to be postponed,” she said.
“I continue to be in dialogue with the Sting team and look forward to being advised of the new date for the staging of Sting,” she added.
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