Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton says his public congratulations to dancehall entertainer Vybz Kartel and his fiancée, Sidem Öztürk, on their pregnancy announcement should be viewed simply as an expression of goodwill, but maintained that the moment also reflects an issue he has been encouraging Jamaicans to discuss –the country’s declining birth rate.

Vybz Kartel, whose given name is Adidja Palmer, recently announced that he and Öztürk are expecting their first child together. The announcement generated widespread discussion across social media. Tufton was among the public figures who joined the conversation. He told THE STAR that his comments were never intended to carry any meaning beyond celebrating the expectation of a child.

“My comments should be interpreted as stated. I share in the happiness of the occasion of a Jamaican citizen and his partner expecting a child. Even while I recognise that he is a popular citizen, I am sure all well-thinking Jamaicans feel the same. One should not read too much beyond that,” Tufton said.