From Caribbean360

Sparta, who uses the stage name “Uncle Demon,” was due to headline a concert in Portsmouth, Dominica.

ROSEAU, Dominica, Monday February 24, 2014, CMC – The main organizer of a concert that was due to have featured the Jamaican artiste, Tommy Lee Sparta, says he is likely to file a habeas corpus in order to get the singer and two others released from detention after they were refused entry into Dominica on Sunday night.

Sparta, who uses the stage name “Uncle Demon,” was due to headline a concert in Portsmouth, north of here.

There has been no official statement by the Immigration authorities, but the main organizer of the concert, Cabral Douglas, confirmed that the artiste and two others had been denied entry.

“They are CARICOM (Caribbean Community) citizens who should enjoy the free movement of persons especially artistes have free movement under the treaty (of Charguaramas governing the free movement of skills, labour, goods and services) to be able to move freely and work.

“They have been denied that right. They have been denied the right to visit Dominica and that will have implications for future individuals who wish to come to our country to extend their talents and to share with some of their cultural exchange, which is what the treaty, had been in place for,” Douglas said on the state-owned DBS radio.

“There is a possibility that serious lawsuit could result,” he said, adding that whether or not the Jamaican artiste was controversial, is immaterial to the fact that he is allowed to practice is craft freely under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

He said the artiste had arrived in Dominica from Russia where he had been performing “and is being denied entry and access into Dominica.

“There is no justification whatsoever, that is outrageous,” he said, adding that efforts were being made to contact Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller to assist in resolving the matter.

“Hopefully the Prime Minister will intervene and if not, we will represent them in the High Court…to file a writ of a habeas corpus,” he added.

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Sparta said he is a Caribbean Community (CARICOM) citizen and questioned the move by the Dominican immigration authorities.

“So them don’t respect Jamaicans? What them a deal wid? Sparta a go protest right about now!,” he wrote.

PHOTIO: (Credit: Tommy Lee Sparta Facebook Page)

The Dominica Association of Evangelical Churches (DAEC) has been calling for a boycott of the concert, here, featuring Sparta, whom it claims glorifies Satan during his performances.

“The Church further asks all Dominicans to take a stand and boycott the upcoming concert, thus signaling a strong message to all that we will not support anything that promotes violence and lawlessness in our beautiful country,” the DAEC said in a statement.

“The DAEC, in solidarity with the pastors, calls upon all evangelicals in Dominica to move in support of this march, as we stand against the powers of darkness and declare that Dominica is in the hands of the Great God Jehovah who has rule over the Universe,” the statement said.

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UPDATE: Dominica government breaks silence on Tommy Lee Sparta deportation

From Caribbean360

ROSEAU, Dominica, Tuesday February 25, 2014, CMC – The Dominica government has broken its silence regarding the deportation of a Jamaican dancehall artiste, Tommy Lee Sparta, saying the action had been taken in the interest of public safety.

The singer and two other members of his group were denied entry into the island on Sunday night when they arrived to perform in a show in Portsmouth.

Their lawyer, Tehani Behanzin, said that the deportation issue would not be challenged in Dominica, but that the matter could go before the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) that last year ruled Barbados had been in violation of the rights of Jamaican national, Sanique Myrie, when it denied her entry into that island in defiance of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy (CSME) that allows for the free movement of goods, services, labour and skills.

In a brief statement issues late Monday, the Ministry of National Security defended the decision to detain the men on arrival here.

“Pursuant to advice received government had concerns for public safety. The decision to deny entry was intended as a preemptive action and also to provide an opportunity to exhaust all efforts to clarify information received,” the statement said.

Sparta, whose real name is Leroy Russel, left the country on Monday. He had earlier written on his Facebook page that he is a CARICOM citizen and questioned the move by the Dominican immigration authorities.

The Dominica Association of Evangelical Churches (DAEC) had been calling for a boycott of the concert, here, featuring Sparta, whom it claims glorifies Satan during his performances.

A spokesman for the group, Bishop Michael Daniel, speaking on the state-owned DBS radio Monday, said he was pleased that the concert did not occur as had been planned.

He said while the churches played no role in the detention of Sparta, their prayers had been answered.

For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/entertainment/1106998.html?utm_source=Caribbean360+Newsletters&utm_campaign=1cd13e77d0-Vol_9_Issue_040_News2_25_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_350247989a-1cd13e77d0-39393477#ixzz2uMOYau6p