WELL BOY, it is here again; the Crop Over celebrations. The tourism people does call it, sell it and promote it all ovah the world as the “Sweetest Summer Festival”. But this year I think some o’ dem like duh a little annoyed wid the advisory dat the US Embassy here issued tuh duh citizens. Duh want duh citizens tuh remain vigilant while enjoying these events.
Vigilant? Wha’ dem mean by vigilant? You mean dat dem is suppose tuh be walking ’bout up and down in the crowds while the music blaring and people carrying on and doing the dog all ’round dem, looking at people suspicious and wondering if he, she or it is another madman who looking tuh tek out an American?
Stuuppessss! Now look, there’s a lot o’ things ya could say ’bout this but why waste ya time nuh? Wha’ the American people ain’t the only people ’pon the road come Foreday Morning or Kadooment Day and just because ovah the past year or so a few idiots have taken it ’pon demselves tuh shoot somebody like demselves or just because ya does see a wash o’ people ’pon the streets at these events, it doan mean dat people gine be in danger of duh lives, especially the American people.
So how ya gine know who is American from British or any other nationality fuh dah matter? Wha’ all o’ dem does look the same tuh me: dem is visitors and some o’ dem does be jumping and carrying on in costume bands like anybody else.
This Crop Over ain’t nuh different from any o’ the others in the past; I think the police does take this festival very serious and I think duh know dat duh gine have tuh step up duh game even more serious this year because o’ the lot o’ lawlessness dat have been going on in Barbados in recent times.
I was in a few costume bands I think for about three or four years and when I decided tuh stop dat sorta thing, I would go in Bank Hall by a friend o’ mine every Kadooment Day and we would stop in the verandah and watch the bands come down. One o’ the things dat I used tuh be glad tuh see was the soldiers from the Barbados Defence Force out in duh numbers assisting the police.
I doan go watching the bands nuh more because some o’ the people, especially the women in the bands, does get on too wild, wassy and unruly.
Some o’ dem, instead o’ stopping in the section dat duh got on a costume for, does find duhselves all up in the rest o’ the other sections and dat does stop ya from seeing the beauty o’ costumes and the overall band.
I know a lot o’ people from every walk of life does be and gine be on the island fuh the festival and I know dat a good few people gine stay way from it because o’ some o’ igrant young men who believe dat dem should do as duh like, when and wherevah duh like and duh doan care who duh hurt but as I said before, I hope the police work wid the Defence Force tuh prevent any kinda foolishness from happening.
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in The Orleans. She has an opinion on everything.