Teino Evans, Staff ReporterSINCE THE imminent return of Reggae Sunsplash, there has been controversy as to who owns the name of the festival, as those who started it have alleged that those currently involved took it over unfairly.
According to Don Green, one of the founding members of the first Reggae Sunsplash, it was like a hostile takeover. "I never sold my shares in Sunsplash, as far as I am concerned. I was given a 25-page contract to sign, which I didn't, and I don't have the wherewithal to hire a strong lawyer and I don't want to be mixed up in any greed battle," he said.
"I hear that there is even a Synergy Company down there that is involved, but that is not the original one, that is an off-shoot. The Synergy Security that is involved with this Sunsplash now, is not the company that the original founders had put together," Green declared.
However, Charles Campbell, director of operations and production for the current Sunsplash, says these are all allegations, as the dispute over the rights to Sunsplash was already settled.
"What has happened, Reggae Sunsplash International, a company owned by Kenny Benjamin, bought the rights from Synergy who was responsible for Sunsplash 1995, 1996 and 1997. My company (International Events Management) has entered a joint venture with the Guardsman Group of Companies and Mr. Benjamin has given that joint venture the licence for five years. Under that, the production of the event is the responsibility of IEM, so Wayne Sinclair is the managing director of the partnership and I am the producer of the festival," Campbell said.
In addressing Green's concern about not signing a contract Campbell, who was previously involved with Reggae Sunsplash, serving as director of operations from 1984- 1994, said, "I didn't sign any contract either, but that's an issue that went to the Supreme Court and was settled there long ago. Kenny Benjamin owns Sunsplash 100 per cent."
