Stop, stop, the Carnival

THE EDITOR: Come on people of TT, can’t you all see where we are taking this lovely republic of ours? It is high time that we wake up and smell the coffee.

It is time to stop putting our heads in the sand like the ostrich and pretend that Carnival is not a major problem in our land. It is the major problem and it must be stopped if we want to preserve the moral fabric of our nation.

I know that this call will raise the eyebrows of the masses. But it is better that the masses raise their eyebrows at the call by this servant of Jesus Christ than to have their ears tingle at the news of the impending destruction that will befall our country if we do not stop this Carnival.

Carnival lovers/supporters are determined to justify the festival. The summary of their justification hinges upon economics.

Some argue that Carnival makes the income of our nation look very healthy. Tourism experiences a high during Carnival. The business sector’s coffers are boosted. Unemployment is reduced. The various artistes are able to make some money.

But even so, can one really compare a so-called healthy economy with a resultant sick nation, because that is what Carnival does to our nation. It leaves our people physically and spiritually sick. The effects of the Carnival ills far outweigh the economic benefits that it brings.

What about the COVID-19 virus concern? This seems to have been consumed by this Carnival energy. There is no longer the needed reminders in this Carnival environment of the serious possibility of this virus entering our shores during this Carnival madness.

Are our ports of entry on the alert for virus carriers? Are our quarantine centres sufficient and ready for any eventuality? There are some serious concerns that this “out off control” virus presents.

Is our Minister of Health hearing the conversation of the former medical director of the San Fernando General Hospital on this virus? He posits: “In my years of practice, this is the first time in the history of medicine that I have seen a big nation like China being brought to its knees with this virus and a whole country is locked down.”

What this director is saying is that we are not ready for this virus because we do not have the infrastructure or staff to confront an outbreak. The Carnival puts the nation in a high-risk position and it is an unnecessary risk. This Carnival could be detrimental to our nation’s health.

And what about this burning desire of our women to walk naked on the streets? Is that what Carnival is all about? There is a determination of some people in this nation of ours to propagate this naked frenzy.

The song about getting naked is an indictment to the need for morality in our nation. There is a costume designer who is very presumptuous in the design of her “naked costume.” She finds that her designs are sexy and that they do not reveal all and they are for a certain group of masqueraders.

These masqueraders and designers are determined to validate nakedness on our streets. This must not be allowed to happen and as a nation we must frown and resist this determination. Let them keep their nakedness in their bedrooms.

If allowed to go unopposed, this nakedness will become a norm in our society and God-fearing people are against this.

Mr Police Commissioner, nakedness on our streets on Carnival days is out off control, just as crime is out of control. There is the need to bring our nation under control. Nakedness is a crime and must be treated as such. This is pornography in all its shapes. These women should be charged for indecent exposure of their bodies.

REV ROBERT DASH

Baptist, Tableland