Entertainment

No ban on Swam King

By MEL COOKE, Freelance Writer

Selector Swam King is relieved that no ban has been placed on him. - rudolph brown

western bureau:

SELECTOR SWAM KING, whose Monday, May 9 comment about the then very recent murder of three policemen brought the ire of the lawmen, has held talks with the police.

His comments, made at the Uptown Mondays' first anniversary, drew the wrath of Police Federation Chairman Raymond Wilson. At the funeral of Inspector Lascelles Walsh, one of the three murdered policemen, Wilson had suggested that the selector who had made the comments should not be allowed to play again, to cheers from the people at the funeral.

However, a ban was never placed on Swam King and recent meetings with the police have gone well.

Meetings

Swam King met with Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas at his offices on June 15 and with members of the executive of the Police Federation on Monday, June 20, with both meetings having positive outcomes.

"I want to say nuff respect to Commissioner Lucius Thomas. He gave me some good advice, some good words," Swam King said, saying that the Commissioner told him that there will be ups and there will be downs in his career as a selector. "With my case, I never get ban. Is just the statement that THE STAR bring that bring the wrath," Swam King said.

"They were waiting to see the response (Swam King's ), but the one that came out was on page 22," he said referring to a response which was carried in THE STAR recently.

Misinterpretation

He emphasised that he was never banned. "Is just the misinterpretation of the statement. The police make a statement 'cause dem did feel wrath. Anybody would a feel wrath," he said.

"Swam King and the police, as usual, everything all right. Me have police family and police friends," he said.

The Commissioner's secretary, Joan Golding, confirmed that a meeting had taken place.

Corporal Hartley Stewart, general secretary of the Police Federation, confirmed that a meeting had taken place with Swam King. The meeting was not with the full executive body, but with a significant portion, for a little over an hour.

"He explained the situation as he saw it ... He probably never intended the message to go out as it was carried. We also understand, from his presentation of his story, this is a young man who is humble, originally from the country and would not have a beef with the police. And it would not seem of the nature to wish bad on any police officer," Corporal Stewart said.

"We are accepting what he tells us. He was contrite. We did not demand anything of him. We are satisfied that his intention was not to cause extreme grief, or the furtherance of any grief," Corporal Stewart said.

"He was not under any ban," Corporal Stewart said, adding that Swam King was concerned about the recommendation made at Inspector Walsh's funeral that any show Swam King was on would not be allowed to be held.

Corporal Stewart explained that the authority to hold any event lies with the commanding officer in a particular division, saying that there is an appeal process which goes through to the Commissioner.

"There was no official instruction that any show that he (Swam King) is on would not be going on," Corporal Stewart said.