As 2017 draws to a close, we look back at some of the stories that caught the public’s attention over the year.
This story was originally published on October 7, 2017.
A bright yellow bus shelter installed yesterday evening on Maxwell Main Road bearing the slogan “Stop RH Littering” has been causing a stir on social media. Members of the public have been speculating on the meaning of the letters RH, with some assuming it is an acronym for a well-known local expletive.
Co-ordinator for the Adopt-A-Stop bus shelter project, Barney Gibbs who is responsible for the installations confirmed that the shelter had been commissioned by a private individual, who preferred to remain anonymous.
Gibbs noted: “The sponsor is extremely concerned about the litter situation in Barbados, and asked us for the most direct message possible. I posed the question in the workshop and the guys shrugged and said, almost in unison – Stop RH littering. So we decided to mount that on a few shelters.”
When asked about if he was surprised at the response Gibbs said that we was not, since the shelters are a strong medium and register around 80 000 rides per day across the island. As to what the letters RH signified, the coordinator contended that the interpretation is left up to the reader. “Your mind is free to complete the sentence. It might mean Road and Highway. Or not.”
Mr Gibbs promised that two more shelters bearing the slogan would be installed St Peter and in St Michael today, and that he hoped they would help in some way to alleviate the litter problem that the island is experiencing. (NATION ARCHIVES)
NB: In a story carried on November 18, it was reported that the signs were removed from the bus stop.
“The Stop RH Littering bus stop shelter messages that went viral last month have been removed on the instruction of the Barbados Transport Authority.
Project co-ordinator for the Adopt A Stop project, Barney Gibbs, said in a press release: “The apparent reason for the removal is that the letters “RH” contained in the design could be perceived as an acronym for a well-known local profanity”.
The signs were erected in early October on solar bus shelters in Christ Church, St Peter and St Michael.” (NATION ARCHIVES)
