The blogmaster read or heard somewhere that between last week Friday and the coming weekend, over 100 fetes are scheduled to take place in Barbados. These are ‘big’ fetes, nothing to do with pop ups and back yard events. Although the blogmaster has no issue with merrymaking and revelry, it seems excessive what is unfolding in Barbados given the reality of our social and economic state.
In recent days local Infection Prevention and Control Infectious Disease Specialist The Most Honourable Dr. Corey Forde has featured in the media ‘begging’ Barbadians to exercise caution because of the prevalence of airborne diseases – remember the vulnerable living in the household was his message. Given the unprecedented level of merrymaking in the country, one is left to ask, how realistic is Dr. Corey Forde’s plea to revellers? Was Dr. Corey Forde happy to check a box on his medical checklist to discharge his professional duty?
Confirming the high level of merrymaking was the revelation from the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) there is an acute labour shortage affecting this year’s Crop Over festival.
The blogmaster makes the effort to listen to Dr. Elliot Douglin’s weekly program on VOB92.9FM Prescription for Prevention. One suspects he attracts a mature audience. The message from Dr. Douglin is always wholesome, one where he extols the benefits of eating vegetables, drinking more water, engaging in exercise, eating less saturated fats found in processed foods, avoid drinking alcohol and smoking etc. Is his message one that will have significant penetration in the prevailing environment? Without meaning any disrespect to the goodly Doctors Forde and Douglin your messages ring hollow.
Forgotten in all the merriment is the fact Barbados has a high prevalence of non communicable diseases. The capacity of our primary and ancillary healthcare institution groan daily from the demand for services placed on them by the public.
When the revelry abates after Crop Over, there is an opportunity for our real leaders to standup to help the country to repurpose. The same passion we have for revelry has to be leveraged to improve all areas of society. How do we deliver on our national motto ‘Pride and Industry’? Food for thought for sober minds.
Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die - 1 Corinthians 15:32
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