The family atmosphere of Party Monarch could be lost when this event on the Crop Over calendar is shifted to night time this year.
This is the feeling of some who have taken issue with the change which was announced last Thursday by Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley. Others though, disagreed that the family feeling will no longer be present.
Lashley, in making the announcement at the launch of Crop Over 2011, said the change was intended to further motivate finalists to take the opportunity to add more sparkle to their presentation.
Last year, Party Monarch was held at Bushy Park, in St Philip, instead of Farley Hill, St Peter where it was staged the previous year.
In a Nation Talkback on the newspaper’s Facebook page, readers made their feelings known on this issue.
Tasnim Tudor: “I have thought about this, and there are two points. Whilst it may enable the finalists to ‘add more sparkle’, in my opinion the move takes ‘the culture’ right out of the day. At present a lot of families (which includes the elderly and the young) attend the event. It finishes by about 8pm which allows families to attend , whether it be local families, families from overseas or a mix of both.
“Moreover, those of our older generation who are interested, continue to partake in events, enjoying the culture they helped shape and develop. The children , who are also the future of Barbados, will learn about their culture by attending and continue with the family affair. So, Mr Lashley, are you proposing that you would like to replace the close knit family culture for the sake of a little sparkle?” Ashantia Howard, in disagreeing with Tudor, said: “So because it’s at night now families can’t see it? I am not buying that at all. Have you ever heard of Carols by Candlelight or Christmas at Illaro? All of these events take place at night. I wonder aren’t those events attended by the same future of Barbados?
Anthony Guppy: “I have no problem with the change once they manage the time well. Once they finish and the result is given around or before 2 am at the absolute latest”.
carolmartindale@nationnews.com
