ERC calls for ban of Vybz Kartel's "Good Like Jesus" song

The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has condemned Jamaican dancehall artiste, Vybz Kartel, over his “Good Like Jesus” song, which was released more than six months ago.

The ERC said the song contains blasphemous and deeply offensive statements concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, central to the beliefs of the Christian community. Vybz Kartel is heading to Guyana for a Mega Show during the independence weekend celebrations.

In a statement today, the ERC said the song is disrespectful to Christian religious sensibilities and undermines the values of reverence, respect, and harmony that underpin Guyana’s multicultural society.

The ERC noted that while freedom of artistic expression is a protected right, it is not absolute and must be exercised in a most responsible manner with due regard for the religious and cultural values of all communities.

The ERC has called for the song to be banned from the airwaves in Guyana and for it to be removed from digital platforms within Guyana.

The Commission said its call is a necessary measure to prevent further injury to the Christian community and to uphold public standards of decency and mutual respect. It plans to engage the promoter of the upcoming concert featuring Vybes Kartel to directly address this issue.

The ERC says it remains unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding the rights, dignity, and faiths of all Guyanese noting that acts of religious disrespect will not be tolerated and will be addressed with firm and constructive measures.

Last week, the ERC also condemned the lyrics of a song released on the social media site TikTok that was offensive to the Hindu community as it made sexual references to the Hindu Goddess, Mother Lakshmi. The singer of the song, “Baby Skello”, has since apologised for the offensive lyrics and has removed the song from his social media pages.

However, he was recently arrested by the Police for questioning regarding the lyrics of the same song. He has also been summoned to face the Ethnic Relations Commission over the lyrics of the song.