Buju gets green light to perform in Miami

Buju Banton, whose Rasta Got Soul tour of the UnitedStates has been dogged by protests from gay rights groups, will performat the Reggae Bash show in Miami this week.

The eventwas in danger of being cancelled after groups like Equality Floridawrote to city officials, including Mayor Manuel Diaz, complaining thatsome of Banton's music incites violence against gays.

Andrew Minott of promoters Global Vybz Entertainment told The Gleaner last week that the show will take place on Saturday at the 5,000-seat James L. Knight Center.

"Everything's good, everything's on," Minott said.

Accordingto Minott, a statement from the Florida chapter of the American CivilLiberties Union (ACLU) admonishing the gay groups may have saved theday. It accused them of promoting censorship.

Written by the Florida ACLU's executive director Howard Simon, the statement was published in the October 18 edition of the Miami Herald.

"I guess

Membersof Global Vybz have had dialogue with the gay lobbyists. They recentlyappeared in a panel discussion with Equality Florida spokespersonVanessa Brito on WAVS, a south Florida-based Caribbean radio station.

Even though is company got the green light, Minott admits the negative publicity seems to have hurt.

"Ticket sales are slow, I think all the protest talk made people weary," he said.

EqualityFlorida is the latest gay rights organisation to come out againstBanton performing in a major US city. Similar protests forced thecancellation or rescheduling of Rasta Got Soul shows in Salt Lake City,Utah, Columbus, Ohio, Richmond, Virginia and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The groups say their protests are driven by the violent tone of Banton's 1992 anti-gay anthem, Boom Bye Bye.

Banton met gay activists prior to his show in San Francisco two weeks ago.

They demanded he reach out to homosexuals, including those in Jamaica.