Dear Editor,
The precedent has been set for an all nude adult troupe that will change the face of Carnival in the not too distant future. It was an astonishing moment to watch a group of ladies clad in G-stings and bare buttocks, as they paraded the streets of St. Maarten.
It was as if they came prepared to send a message to the community. When they arrived at the area where I was standing, all eyes were focused on them. Several spectators sighed in disgust, some stared in disbelief, while others uttered words that are not suitable for this medium. One parent remarked that this will be the last time that she is going to watch the parade and expose her son to this kind of conduct.
Words cannot express the sickening feeling to see how one of the ladies posed for the many tourists and their children. She purposely bent over, pushed her buttocks up in the air in such a sexual position, where everything was exposed. It did not matter to her who was present and who was videotaping.
Here is my take: from the moment these ladies arrived at the start of the parade, the St. SCDF and the Police Force should have asked them to either put on a pair of pantyhose or a mini skirt. If they refused to comply, then the Director of the SCDF and the Police had to put them out. How is it possible that this kind of behaviour was allowed to take place?
These are the same organisations that have repeatedly condemned the behaviour of the youth; yet they have contributed directly to this improper conduct of the youth. What happens to the ordinance that governs the way in which a person dresses in public? Is the rule going to be bent just because it is Carnival time? Then, why criticize the children? Regardless of the activity, the rule of law must be applied.
This is why the youngsters look at the majority of us as hypocrites, because far too many say one thing and do another. It is a known fact that children do not do what we ask them to do, but exactly what they see us do. Do we see how some of the children were dressed for the children’s parade? Isn’t it heading in the same direction as what is taking place in the adult parade? It is a sad reality, but the foundation is being laid for what is to come.
When all is said and done the disheartening thing is that these same ladies, who behaved themselves in such an indecent manner, are usually the ones who will be telling the youth how to conduct themselves in an appropriate fashion.
If the SCDF plans to enhance Carnival overall, then this organization must practice what it preaches; therefore, this kind of behaviour that was displayed on the streets can never be allowed to repeat itself. And, if the Police demand respect from the community, they better reassess their level of tolerance and execute the laws accordingly.
Joslyn Morton
