’Marafaele Mohloboli
THE Lesotho Music Rights Association (LMRA) is unhappy with the Tourism, Environment and Culture Ministry’s decision to unilaterally pick the local artistes who are participating in the World Expo in Dubai.
The Expo started on 1 October and will end in March 2022. It is running under the theme: “Connecting minds, creating the future”.
The LMRA said it must have been consulted as the custodian of local musicians’ rights.
The association’s spokesperson, gospel artiste, Ramosa Bosiu, said they were surprised to learn of the ministry’s decision.
“We are the custodians of the musician’s rights and the least that we expected was that the ministry would inform us even if they had already made their own decision,” Bosiu said.
“We have nothing against those who were picked and in fact, we are happy for them because they are our own. However, we should have been informed.
“Our policy is that nothing should be done for us without our knowledge or input. The ministry is aware because we have worked with them on different projects. We are therefore surprised how they arrived at this decision.”
Local artistes Ntate Stunna, Selimo Thabane, Skebza-D, Boima and the Mantsopa Cultural Group travelled to Dubai for the expo.
Bosiu allayed suspicion that the association wanted to benefit from the same rewards that the travelling artistes also received.
“We don’t want our complaint to be perceived as jealous. In fact, we want to know if they were rewarded accordingly or they chose to engage them individually instead of via the association so that they can underpay them.”
He said if the practice persisted, it was likely to cause rifts among artistes.
Famo musician, Mantša, said the ministry should have engaged the association for the process.
“We definitely wouldn’t all go to Dubai but I wish the ministry had engaged the association. I don’t have a problem with who was picked. What is important is that the association is meant to unite musicians and handle their affairs,” Mantša said.
However, culture director in the Tourism ministry, ’Matšosane Molibeli said they did not engage the association because “the invite came late”.
“The invite had specifications and strict deadlines. Among the requirements was that there was supposed to be a troupe that encompasses Lesotho’s culture and it also had to be modern, hence the choices.
“Besides, this was not a ministerial invite, it was directly for His Majesty. We treated it with all the urgency that it required and decided as a ministry.
“There is nothing sinister about the whole affair and our doors are open for LMRA to come to the table and talk to us and we can explain what informed our decision,” Molibeli said.
Molibeli said the Dubai sponsored the entire trip and the artistes have since returned home after their performance on 27 October, which was designated as Lesotho’s national day.
The event was followed by a business forum on the next day where Thabane shared the stage with other international performers. He returned home on 31 October.
