THE BARBADOS TRANSPORT BOARD’s Mother’s Day scenic ride attracted about 40 busloads yesterday.
But this was down from 90 last year.
The board’s manager of marketing and corporate communications Lynda Holder described the turnout to the DAILY NATION as “disappointing but also realistic”.
She said that as early as today, she and her team will look at marketing strategies “to restructure all of our scenic rides, turning them into more formal events”.
“In speaking to our usual patrons whom we have developed a relationship with over the years, they are complaining about the actual financial situation that they themselves are personally in,” she explained.
“We have a few of them who have since last year lost their jobs. Then there are some other events going on that persons wanted to attend, but they couldn’t afford both, so they had to make a choice.”
But families all across Barbados still managed to take mothers out to celebrate the annual event, albeit in reduced numbers.
After making a stop on the East Coast, more than 1 600 people crowded the popular River Bay, north coast picnic spot where they not only enjoyed their lunch but also the area’s beautiful scenery.
Among the many mothers who attended the event was 78-year-old Joyce Blenman-Payne, who “would not want to be any other place but ’bout here”.
She was also the centre of attention as she danced and pranced in the green grass.
“I come to enjoy myself and I wining up my li’l body. Them laughing but them think that because I old and cold that I can’t do nothing, but I showing them what I can do,” she said.
“Let me show you, li’l girl – come, let me show you.” (AH)
