by JULIE WILSON

PRIME MINISTER OWEN ARTHUR is disturbed by the "bashment mentality" some Barbadians are adopting and the rampant spending that comes with that lifestyle.

He made an appeal for Barbadians to be more thrifty in their spending, while speaking to reporters following the launch of the Town Planning Department's website at Sherbourne Conference Centre, yesterday.

He said Barbadians were spending too much money and spending it the wrong way.

"There seems to be a bashment mentality taking place in Barbados where people seem to be complaining about cost of living issues, yet they seem to have an extraordinary amount of money to spend on these bashments, especially those hosted by overseas promoters.

"And I really do feel that Barbadians must come back to a sense of greater thrift and exercise greater financial prudence on their own; and that the country needs a moratorium on these bashments being held, especially on a Sunday."

The Prime Minister said he had received several complaints from across the society, with people appealing to him to do something about the fêtes.

But he explained the only two entities that had control over such bashments were the Liquor Licensing Authority and the police.

He also described as a sad situation the fact that members of the Royal Barbados Police Force now had an additional obligation – policing explicit lyrics – along with all their regular duties.

"The lyrical content can only serve to undermine good, strong values that have kept this country stable.

"Yes, Barbadians are spending too much and on the wrong thing," he said