Dwayne Mcleod/Teino Evans, Staff Reporters


Left: Beenie Man , Right: Bounty Killer

Police have decided not to grant any permits for two dances in Majesty 'Back To' Gardens, fearing that the sessions, named after feuding deejays Bounty Killer and Beenie Man, might divide the community and lead to war.

The sessions, named Bounty Sundays and Beenie Tuesdays, have become anticipated fixtures in the inner-city residence, but reports surfaced that it caused disagreements between men from the top of the community where Bounty Sundays are held and the lower section which holds Beenie Tuesday.

Residents have flatly denied any disagreements about the sessions, but police are apparently taking no chances.

"We are not granting any permission for none of them...That is going to cause conflict and we have to step on conflict because conflict leads to crime," Senior Superintendent Derrick 'Cowboy' Knight, head of the St. Andrew South Division, says.

The division's crime chief, Deputy Superintendent Michael Phipps, agrees.

"I heard that there was a Bounty Sunday in the area, and all of a sudden there is a Beenie party," he says. "Beenie and Bounty are not friends so anywhere you have both of them there is going to be friction."

Residents have dispelled the rumour saying there is nothing but peace and love.

"Dem ting deh a two year ago, everything nice ya now," says Butta, a member of the 'Bounty Sundays' promotion team.

Bounty Sundays has been a weekly event in the community since December 30.

Butta explains that residents of both sections of the community are looking forward to the staging of Beenie Tuesdays, as they both enjoy the happening at Bounty Sundays.

"Everything nice...up ya so a up di road and dung deh so a dung di road so more or less dem (dung di road) ago want fi dem niceness to," he says, adding "of course di whole a we party, dem come up ya so and we ago go dung deh so," Butta reveals.

The first hosting of Beenie Tuesdays earlier this week was "shut down" by the police who maintains that a permit was not granted for the event.

"Nuh war naw gwaan, nuh man nuh lock off nuh weh, nuttin like dat naw gwaan," points out Maggi, a promoter of Beenie Tuesdays.

He defends the staging of Beenie Tuesdays saying: "jus like how Bounty stand up fi him soldier dem up di road, a suh Beenie stand up dung ya so."

Despite the arguments, Beenie Man warns the residents not to worry as he is determined to aid in getting a permit. "Me an mi lawyer will go link Mr. Knight," he says.

The 'Doctor' notes that Beenie Tuesdays could have started long ago had it not been for his busy schedule.

"Di yute dem want it from long time even before Bounty...A jus tru dem have more time than me cause me busy," he explains. "A me deal wid all entertainment inna Back To..football match an dem ting deh a me, a me carry pure star go dung deh, a me carry Steven Seagal go dung deh."

Efforts to talk with Bounty Killer were unsuccessful up to press time as calls to his and his agents' phones went unanswered.

But all is not lost for the residents. Police say they are willing to grant the permits as long as both deejays speak with them.

"Until they can both come in and let us know their intentions and let us look at it from the security perspective, then they will not be granted a permit," DSP Phipps says.