Party island

Elspeth Blanche Duncan

Many TT citizens, myself included, were taken aback by a newspaper article citing Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith’s belief that the people of TT have “grown and matured as it related to the hosting of parties and use of fireworks to ring in the new year.”

He described what he saw on December 31 as being a "very positive sign for this country," stating that the behaviour of citizens showed “professionalism and maturity.”

Clearly the CoP was not in Tobago on December 31 and the days leading up to it.

On Old Year’s Day a reliable local source told me of “big white sports boats, probably across from Trinidad”...plus “normal lagoon boats”... and close to 100 people liming on No Man’s Land, most (if not all) maskless, with no social distancing.

One report also stated that police standing around at Pigeon Point did nothing about the boats packed with people, heading out to sea, destined for "party central."

A Tobago-based friend expressed shock upon seeing crowds on Grafton Beach during the last days of December. He described young Trinis gathered closely together on the sand, dancing, mask-less, in groups of ten-25.

Another Tobago friend, venturing to Store Bay for a swim, encountered rough waters containing closely-packed Trini revellers. Drinks in hand they raised arms in the air with each wave, shouting the Carnival anthem: “Raise yuh haaaaaand!”

Many, myself included, commented that the booming of fireworks in Tobago was the loudest and most continuous we have ever heard on the island.

“Fireworks are a novelty for Tobagonians,” a salesperson at the FireOne Fireworks booth told me when I visited it on the eve of Old Year’s, attempting to initiate a discussion (as an animal rescuer) about effects of the noise on animals. She said that Tobagonians are more accustomed to old-fashioned "bussing bamboo," but they are gradually getting into fireworks, which add colour to the noise.

In conversation, some Tobago dwellers commented that the increased firework explosions could possibly be courtesy vacationing Trinis.

Still, thankfully, the sound of fireworks in Tobago was nowhere near as frenzied as that reportedly experienced in Trinidad. Being from Trinidad, I know the propensity for many citizens there to unleash as much noise as possible at year’s end.

This year a multitude of concerned and totally fed-up Trinidadians reported on social media that the Trini "warzone" was the worst ever experienced. Posts highlighting the proliferation of lost, injured, traumatised and dead animals (and the lack of "zero-tolerance" police action) support their exasperated claims and debunk the CoP’s declaration of TT’s "maturity" and "professionalism."

With borders closed, Tobago is the chosen holiday escape for many Trinidadians. While, of course, not all Trinidadians fall into the behavioural categories cited in this article, many of us living in Tobago see various examples of disrespect meted out to the island and its inhabitants by some Trinis.

One tourism professional had this to say: “I watch the holiday time come around and Trinis coming across disrespecting the ‘rules’...using Tobago as a ‘party’ island or, as I see it, an outside woman that’s left behind after using her for the weekend, leaving mountains of trash.”

One Tobagonian hotel employee commented that, while Tobagonians sometimes feel disrespected by certain Trini visitors, "at least they are good for the economy." Villas are booked, food is purchased at/from restaurants and alcohol flies from grocery shelves.

In contrast, thankfully, there are Trinis who visit and respectfully contribute to the wellbeing of the island, volunteering with and donating to NGOs, engaging in activities that are protective of the environment, supporting small island entrepreneurs. We need more of such citizens...on both islands.

The following words of advice for visiting Trinis were sent to me by a proud Tobagonian:

“You, the visitors, are our guests. We, the residents, are your hosts. We know you’ve been around enough to understand how good guests behave. No need to hand you a manual. The best guide is to think about how you’d like your own houseguest to behave and follow suit.

"Tobago has its own pace and unwritten rules of etiquette. Slow down, observe and respond sensitively to your new and somewhat different environment. This might be the best holiday break you’ve ever had.

"Just don’t forget you are the guest and we are the host. Please behave accordingly.”