LIKE EVERYONE ELSE I was perturbed by the truth. Barbadian children in schools are drinking alcohol. Some viewers who are parents may have taken what Barbados Union of Teacher's president Karen Best said on the People's Business as "just an isolated incident".

But for me it is difficult to turn a blind eye when solutions can be brought up to eliminate this problem that existed for some time. However, this is made difficult because of several obstacles – or should I say realities of this society?

In Barbados, drinking alcohol is "we culture". We glorify the rum shops. Over the years, these buildings have been transformed into full-size billboards for brand name alcoholic beverages.

In our society, we cluster fun, with music, masquerade and liquor and call it Kadooment. Many entertainment events in this country are sponsored by alcohol-making companies.

On television and radio, some disc jockeys and television hosts help promote the sale of alcohol through their programming. Restaurants, bars, "dubs" and fetes promote their business by offering "drink specials" all night long.

Hence, in Barbados alcohol is an industry. But some people in our society do not approve of this alcoholic culture. So these same alcohol companies. to fight off the advocates of the negative effects of alcohol such as substance abuse, unprotected sex and violence, take these same billboards, posters, television and radio advertisements and insert under the name of the alcohol a quote which says "Drink Responsibly". This is like the devil telling man not to sin.

Those few words do not lessen the problem of alcoholism. It does not stop adults from abusing alcohol. This constant exposure does nothing but make a child more curious about alcohol and try to emulate this social behaviour which seems to be the norm in society.

The profits made from the sale of alcohol in no way surpass the losses of life and destruction of families and jobs which alcohol abuse causes.

However, solutions can be proposed to combat this problem. I believe that the National Council for Substance Abuse (NCSA) and the Ministry of Education are playing their part by creating programmes in the schools that emphasise the dangers of alcohol consumption, prevention and treatment of alcoholism.

On the other hand, the alcohol companies can also play a role by placing labels on their products which advertise that alcohol is not to be sold to minors and the legal age for alcohol consumption.

In addition there is a need for the communities to educate not just the children but the adults about alcoholism and how it can impact their relationships in the home and their productivity in the world of work.

Government can also create legislation which has harsher penalties on individuals who sell alcohol without a licence and small shop owners who sell alcohol to minors. But these proposed solutions can only be taken seriously when our society realises the adverse effects of alcohol in the communities and the homes of our children.

– KRYSTAL PENNY BOWEN