BARBADIANS WHO COME home for the holidays all have to face the inevitable: leaving again.
The DAILY NATION spoke to family members who were at the Grantley Adams International Airport on Tuesday bidding each other farewell.
The Knight/Adamson/Firebrace families were saying their goodbyes as Doreen Firebrace-Knight was heading back to New York, temporarily leaving behind her husband of 51 years, Frank Knight, daughter Sharon Knight, sister Peggy Adamson and her husband Kelson Adamson.
“This is my first Christmas in Barbados since 1967. I miss the old-time carolling and other things, but I had a good time. We usually visit twice a year but not on Christmas. I loved the Mount Gay Black and the white Hennessy – you don’t get those in New York,” she said.
Her husband had some pet peeves he wanted to get off his chest.
“The prices are too high; we need a consumer organization. Plus, I don’t like how Trinidad is taking over everything; Barbados belongs to we,” he said.
Frank will be joining his wife in New York later. However, the Adamsons live in England and will not be seeing their loved ones for a while.
Kelson said he was impressed with how Barbados had progressed.
“When I left in 1962 we all used oil lamps but now I see all these electric Christmas lights; it’s wonderful,” he said.
Grace Merritt and her daughter Ayana came in from New York on December 18 to spend time with her father George Agard and the rest of the family.
“My last Christmas here was two years ago.
I loved it here; it’s home and different from New York, an opportunity to get away from the cold,” she said.
Ayana said she, too, loved the sunshine and beauty of the island.
“I love the beach but my favourite one is Browne’s Beach,” she said.
Agard said she would return in July – “God willing” – something her father was eagerly looking forward to.
A lot of people say relationships with in-laws are often strained but this was not the case with Gregory Burke and Jamaican-born Iceline Skinner.
What is even more interesting is that Burke is no longer married to Skinner’s daughter so, in fact, she is not actually his mother-in-law anymore. However, that does not stop them from spending Christmas together.
“She came in from England on December 13 and is leaving today. She stayed in a hotel because she wanted to experience the good life but we had a wonderful time with the ‘family’,” said Burke.
Skinner said she loved Barbados and hoped to return “someday”. (CA)
