Put pen on paper when entering any arrangement with Government or any other, advised by Attorney At Law Mr. Ronald Rowe. Photo: VINO

Mr. Ronald Rowe was a guest speaker at the GRATE Music Alliance meeting of Saturday September 21, 2014 which was held at the Purcell Community Centre. Photo: VINO

His message sunk deep with the full house of entertainers who had turned out for the meeting. Photo: VINO

“Whatever arrangement you enter into, whoever with, even if it is to scratch it on the back of a piece of paper and sign it put everything you agree on in writing because more than any other industry in the world artists, musicians get shafted,” Mr Rowe told the group.

He said that this principle also applies even in the case of personal favours. “Scratch down ‘I so and so agree with so and so, A B, to do so and so for this amount’, ensure that everything that you do is in writing,” he further added.

He further said that the strength of every relationship including those which are at the genesis or basis of the forming of the organization’s relations with the government is that if it is not in writing they can say anything that they choose. “We didn’t agree with you for that, there is no time limit for paying and particularly when you are contracting government you cannot force the government to pay,” he advised.

“With a private citizen you can seize their land, you can send them to Balsum Ghut, but with government they pay when they feel like so your contracts with the government have to be particularly strong to ensure that there are penalties if they don’t pay, if you don’t pay me within two weeks interest rises 50%, things like that,” Mr Rowe strongly cautioned.

Noting that he had to be careful what he was going to say to the group Mr. Rowe said that while on his vacation during the summer he heard what happened during the Festival celebrations in the Virgin Islands. “And as I am now under work permit working for the firm, that is, as an attorney, I cannot be seen to be active…”

He said however that as he has always done he will continue to give his contributions freely to the association. “So you can rely on me, when I am free from the strictures of the work permit, on my own to give service to you,” he said to a loud round of applause.

He said the he has recognized what the GRATE Music Alliance has been born out of. “It has been born out of a need to protect your economic interest, it’s born out of a need for you to be recognized in your own in your own land but you must understand that it’s something that is not new to you.”

The organization’s members and supporters heard that even in the land of the birth of Reggae, to this day there has been battles with the government. “Even in the land of Jamaica with all the millions, billions that the artists bring in you can still see them being harassed. There has been no economic policy that fosters which is one of the greatest income earning [sectors]...” he said.

He said that as the VI transitions from being the financial service to tourism as a main source of their income more and more the organization is going to become important to organize in the best interest of the workers in the entertainment industry.

"More than anything I can say to you, may I recommend to all of you something which is free, if not just get a copy, all of you should get a copy of a book called ‘This Business of Music’… It is the Bible of the entertainment industry,” said Mr Rowe.

He said the book deals with all the aspects of contracting, publishing and other aspects of promotion. “If you go online you should find it in PDF free – This Business of Music,” he advised.

According to Mr Rowe to many he has been known as the entertainment lawyer however it’s something he has not practiced in the past ten years but has been keeping in touch with trends and issues surrounding the industry to some extent.

He was one of the founders of the band at the university he attended in the earlier days for which he was one of the singers. Along with one Ms Sharon Burke and Gerome Hamilton they founded a booking company called Solid Agency. This was in Jamaica.

“I left then Gerome left and after we formed with a person called Allison Hunte what became and what is the foremost booking company in the Caribbean, Headline Entertainment… so my experience in music has been 40 years,” he told the members.