Trending in Jamaica News: The $100 million Albatross that hangs around Shaggy’s neck
The last staging of the Shaggy and Friends benefit concert was on January 6, 2018, on the lawns of Jamaica House. And the promoter promised that every penny would go towards the Bustamante Hospital for Children ICU unit.
Months passed, and the hospital began questioning the funds’ hold-up. Plus, it thought the promoter needed to be more forthcoming. So, the Gleaner was alerted, and on November 3, 2019, the Gleaner ran this headline:
“Busta’ still waiting – Hospital yet to benefit from $100m raised at 2018 Shaggy and Friends charity concert.”
The Sunday Gleaner
The disturbing headline made its rounds on social media and caught the attention of the promoter. Who subsequently blamed the press and discredited the story. The society followed suit and launched an all-out attack on the Gleaner. Finally, everybody except one rallied to the promoter’s side and laid the rumor to rest.
Here is part of what the Sunday Gleaner wrote in its article on November 3, 2019:
Almost two years after the successful staging of the biennial Shaggy and Friends concert, the Bustamante Hospital for Children is still anxiously waiting to receive the benefits from the charity event, which reportedly raised $100 million.
The Sunday Gleaner
The concert was hosted by international recording artist Orville’ Shaggy’ Burrell on January 6, 2018, with support from the Shaggy Make a Difference Foundation, co-directed by his wife, Rebecca Burrell.
Contacted by The Sunday Gleaner, the hospital’s chairman, Kenneth Benjamin, confirmed that neither the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds that were to be purchased from the proceeds of the charity event nor the money raised have been handed over.
“We haven’t received the funds yet,” Benjamin told The Sunday Gleaner last week.
It is now three years since the Gleaner’s shocking headline, and nothing has changed. If anything, things have gotten worst. Because nobody knows whether the hospital will ever receive the $100 million that the promoter of Shaggy and Friends promised to the Bustamante Children’s Hospital ICU.
So, three years after its last disturbing headline concerning Shaggy and Friends, the Gleaner published another more tame headline:
Confusion surrounds the uses for Shaggy & Friends donations.
Jamaica Gleaner
It is unclear what will happen to the funds raised at the 2018 Shaggy & Friends benefit concert as the intended need has been met by another organization. Bustamante Hospital Chairman Kenneth Benjamin has requested that funds be channeled elsewhere. However, Shaggy’s wife insists that the money will be used for the original intent.
Jamaica Gleaner
BUSTAMANTE MONEY IS STILL ON ICE