By Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Wednesday 18th January 2022)- Well-known social commentator Dwyer Astaphan’s second opnion piece for 2023 has seen him responding to critics about his views on the topic of “near nakedness” of females participating in parade day troupes for Sugar Mas (St.
Kitts-Nevis National Carnival).. His response came in recent edition shared on Tuesday 17th January.“Last week’s commentary seems to have stirred up a lot of controversy. It certainly broke the record for feedback coming to me and that’s not surprising because of the importance of the subject matter and strong and differing opinions on it,” he expressed.
He continued: “Matters like which relate to women and a nation and the values and the rights of people cannot be swept under the rug. They need to be discussed and ventilated in public, and maturely and responsibly because they are fundamental to the survival and sustainability of society and civilization.
Never mind that discussing them brings discomfort, disagreement and sometimes displeasure, the discussion has to take place; no pain, no gain.” Astaphan claimed that “All but one of the persons who contacted me agreed with my argument while there was quite a bit of opposition voiced on social media” He said that a young mother who is his friend, who did not agree with him, was the first person to contact him. “She said that she was in a troupe.
That she had done what she had done to relieve stress and that once a year she chooses to behave in a naughty manner in public for all to see but hold a second-not quite allbecause she did say that she did not allow her daughter to go and see the parade.” He questioned why does one have to do something like that and in public no less to relieve herself of 365 days of built up stress. “Is that healthy?
And isn’t it emotionally, psychologically and socially dangerous. Shouldn’t we find ways during the days, weeks and months between carnival first to avoid stress and then to relieve stress when it comes rather than let it build up for a whole year and then we take to the street and explode in near nudity and all kinds of vulgar self-degrading and people-degrading conduct?” Astaphan also wondered: “Why would she want to shield her daughter from seeing the display?
She obviously thinks that something is not right for children to see. She goes and does it before the daughters and sons of other people, and if all those other children see and know , how long would it take before her daughter finds out too, and maybe behaves the same way?
And even before she reaches the age to participate in the adult carnival , she may behave the same way because if her mommy allows her to go into the children’s carnival, you may see the beginnings and we are seeing signs at the children’s carnival, you may see the beginnings of what you see in the adult carnival.” Astaphan shared his view on what could happen if there are no limits. “Now, based on some of the feedback that I’ve gotten, some of you might respond to all of this by asking, so what so that I say this, if they are doing what they are doing now, what will they do next year?
Paint their nude bodies and come to the streets and two years from then, what will they do, expose penises?, and two years after that,what will we see on the streets? What will you see on the streets if you allow it… fornication and orgies, or am I stretching it?
If I’m stretching? It means that you have limits. So I ask you, what are your limits? How far are you willing to let this go?” The former Carnival Minister addressed those who question why he is coming with it now “I was minister responsible for Carnival 23 plus years ago and I was a government minister up to 2008.
So why didn’t I bring this up before? My response is this, if the doctor diagnoses you today, which stage two cancer, what will you do? Will you regret that you did not check him or her before and wait to die or will you take steps to save your life?” Astaphan also crticised the carnival costumes in relation to the story being told by the troupes.“Let me ask you this question.
If a carnival troupes theme is to depict the lives of the Caribbean’s indigenous people or to depict the mid-Atlantic slave trade or whatever other important historical event does the wearing of these g-string and feathers, which seem to be the order of the day, regardless of the name and theme of the troop, does this help tell the story of the troupe? Is it even relevant to the story of the troop?
And does the gaping and gaping of feminine parts and the simulated sex help, do they help in any way to tell the story? Every troupe, it seems regardless of the theme is about G-string and feathers. Is this what it is all about?”
