Piracy in Bridgetown; How I bought an illegal DVD and Lived to Tell the Tale
Photo of vicious Pirate lady awaiting her next victim
Well I promised and I always keep my promises, except when I don’t! The following is an actual encounter with a DVD pirate which happened to me in Bridgetown this weekend. Here is a ball by ball account of what transpired. The following happens around 2.15 pm Saturday 15th December outside Cheapside Vendors market Bridgetown Barbados. (Say it like the “24” TV show opening)
I am walking along just outside Cheapside vendors market, passed a woman of Guyanese-Indian descent aka. Pirate Woman, standing by a car with an umbrella…
Pirate woman: Psst! We have African DVDs selling 3 for $10.
(For my own protection I will just refer to my self as “me” to hide my identity).
Me: Not interested. Do you have American DVDs?
Pirate Woman: Ssh! Yes, but got to be careful, the police just short there! (Indicates police standing near by)
Police standing near by
Pirate Woman: Go to back of car and wait.
(I went to back of car and waited for 2 minutes while woman checked coast was clear and then came back. She opened the trunk of the car revealing a display of copies of DVD covers of American movies plus some African ones.)
Me: How much for the American movies?
Pirate Woman: 3 for $25.
Me: But I only see one I want.
Pirate Woman: Well that would be $10. (she is like Ali Singh.)
Me: Ok, I will take this one.
Selected a movie and paid $10. Was given movie as plain DVD without printed cover.
And that’s how I went undercover and bought an illegal DVD in Bridgetown on Saturday.
What does above encounter prove?
1. Despite the best efforts, Piracy remains in Bridgetown and we must always be cognizant of its existence.
2. Unlike previous years there is more a fear of Police enforcement and that’s a good thing. Several years ago a Pirate would not have been wary of the Police. In recent times there hhas been a proliferation of Piracy cases in our courts and that becomes an effective deterrent. (Or detergent in that it helps to clean the streets.)
3. Guyanese need to do their home work. Who in their right mind sells Peter Boyce a pirate DVD? Obviously that would be destined to end up on Boyce Voice.
If during the reading of this blog there is any thing I might have written which might have incensed or offended you, GET OVER IT! There are many things I read and hear in the media on a daily basis that I don't like either. SO DEAL WITH IT! You are welcome to leave your comments though. Make sure and come back yuh hear !!!...
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December 17th, 2007 at 7:41 am
Piracy has spread like a virus and what makes it so dangerous isn’t just that the artistes lose much of the money they might have made but more compelling for me is the degenerative values that societies are experiencing. Regular people buy this illegal retail and feel happy to have saved $$. Young people are downloading all night with the approval of their parents. Our values are being Pirated away and it will only end when we arrest, not the pirates but our moral decay.
PIRATES
Peddling Illegal Retail And Taking Evasive Strategy
People are guilty from both sides of the fence
Intellectual property being peddled for just cents
Release in the streets to and by anyone who dares
A culture which destroys values, creeping in for years
This culture breeds young criminals at home privately
Engaging in downloads and burns of media to CD or DVD
Selling them with little knowledge of the harm that they do
These Pirates more dangerous than those we once knew
December 17th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
OMG
WHAT NEXT
December 17th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
car does not only sell from there..if it mark S**** it was all in St George selling DVD’s
1-800-WE-DELIVER…
January 4th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Peter Boyce! I woulda never believe dat you too does support Piracy! I am apalled.
By the way, what is the name of the DVD? I could get a borrow?
Seriously now, piracy is wrong, but CDs and DVDs are expensive. But there is a burgeoning middle ground – legal downloads, which are cheaper than CDs, plus you get to choose what songs you want, rather than have someone choose for you. Support websites like gotrhythm.com – consumers and artists alike!
January 4th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
man in certain caribbean islands this thing big
people just set up and sell –easy !
maybe we need to put some pressure on those caribbean countries to control the illegal activity because it will influence people in barbados to do the same
January 10th, 2008 at 12:42 am
is there a reason why the price of music and dvd’s are so expensive?
not condoning the illegal activity im just curious
March 1st, 2008 at 12:35 pm
isnt there more important things, like unsolved murders, rape, and burgalaries that are going unsolved.
why is so much money and resources being put into piracy?
what is the big deal?
“piracy has spread like a virus”
get off your high horse and pull your head out of your ass. its eating away our moral decay…
dont you think theres something wrong with the fact that a father (or mother) can work there whole lives and not even see a small percentile of what these f*ckers see for shooting one scene, or performing one concert.
how is that morally right?
you are all just brain washed fucking imbeciles.
“its wrong because they say its wrong”
they(MPAA, actors guild, METALICA,etc) say its wrong because they dont get there “cut” for doing “there share”
wake up to yourselves and stop being led like sheep.