Kartela.jpgVybz Kartel has teamed up again with his business partner Corey Todd -- with whom he did his premium liquor, Vybz Rum -- to launch a line of condoms for the Jamaican market.

The brand is on schedule to hit the market in late July or early August, Todd told one876entertainment.com in an exclusive interview.

According to Todd, the decision to produce the condom is not only a very sound business decision but a good idea to promote the concept of safe sex.

We believe that Jamaicans must continue to practise safe sex and we hope that Kartels mass appeal will encourage more people to practise safe sex, especially in this age of HIV/AIDS which has destroyed the black communities in the US, Africa and the Caribbean. We also plan to give back a percentage of the sales to help with HIV/ AIDS awareness and prevention campaigns in Jamaica, Todd said.

Kartel was pleased with the joint venture which he believes will be highly successful.

This is something that I have always wanted to do, and were going to take it to the masses, it is full time that we create our own industries and build our own communities by reinvesting in them, the deejay told a reporter. While he did not disclose details of the deal, it is believed that he is investing his own money in this venture.

Kartel is asking his fans to send in name suggestions for the brand
over the next two weeks to namethecondom@gmail.com. If we choose your
name then you and a guest will win a free weekend at Hedonism 3.
Runners up will receive three free bottles of Vybz Rum. Kartel will also
be looking for a young lady to grace the ad campaign if you are
interested please send your pictures, and contact info to
namethecondom@gmail.com

Earlier this year, the National Family Planning Board launched a second generation female condom to give women increased control over HIV/AIDS prevention methods. There is some amount of concern over decreased condom use especially in light of the recent rash of sex videos featuring teenagers and well-known people indulging in unprotected sex. In Jamaica, where 1.6% of adults are HIV-positive, two-thirds became so through heterosexual contact, says the health ministry. A recent KAP behavioural study conducted by the epidemiology unit in the Ministry of Health suggested that awareness of AIDS and how it is prevented is high in Jamaica (over 90%) and condom use has increased due to sustained condom promotion programs.

All sexually active adults are encouraged to use the condom everytime. Nevertheless, there remains a significant number of persons with multiple sex partners who do not use condoms, the study concluded.