#BTEditorial – Dear Promoter, patron safety must be priority

The lawless and criminal elements in our country seem hellbent on “crashing the party”, so to speak, for those lovers of the annual Crop Over Festival. Weeks ago, on July 2, many of them stampeded and invaded the popular Powda fete held at Vaucluse Raceway, St Thomas. Months prior, in May, there was also a security breach at the same venue for Damm J’ouvert.

Last weekend, there was bloodshed and the police were called in at an event held at Kensington Oval. The mayhem spilled over to the nearby Esso gas station and Kensington Mall.

Insurance companies are now hesitant, and rightly so, to provide coverage for events. The popular Puff of Colour fete was affected and subsequently postponed due to insurance issues.

The issue of security breaches and criminal activity at Crop Over events was a hot topic of discussion in Parliament on Tuesday when Attorney General Dale Marshall sent a clear warning to would-be “hooligans”.

“I am letting these men and women who feel that hooliganism and so on in Barbados will be allowed to affect our Crop Over, not under this Government’s watch. They do not think about the fact that what they have done has created a problem for other fetes, for other events.

“We have families whose livelihoods depend on a successful Crop Over…. How dare a bunch of hooligans believe that it is right for them to disturb the merriment of individuals who come out just to party in an environment of peace and safety,” he told the House of Assembly.

The AG then turned his attention to promoters.

“I must also say to promoters that they have a solemn duty to their patrons to be sure that they make the appropriate investment in their own security. The Barbados Police Service buttressed by the efforts and staff of the BDF [Barbados Defence Force], buttressed by today’s technology will be doing our part… but it is your event, Mr Promoter; you are the person who will have all to gain and all to lose.”

Then during a press briefing on Thursday, the Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce put the criminals on notice but, he too, admonished promoters. The press conference followed meetings earlier this week with the police, BDF, officials of the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) and later private promoters.

Commissioner Boyce said: “Stakeholders, promoters have a big role to play in managing and putting on their own events. Their main thing, just like us, must be the safety and security of patrons who attend their events. Anytime promoters are planning these mass events they should be thinking of the safety of patrons.

“We, in the Police Service, will not align ourselves with any scrappy and insufficient security at events. It cannot work. Risk factors have to be looked at and all measures have to be taken to reduce any harm to anyone,” the top cop said.

But, for some time now, many promoters have argued that they do not benefit from the same level of support the Police Service and the BDF give to state-run Crop Over events.

With 30 000 gathered at the National Botanical Gardens last Sunday for the NCF-produced Pandemonium and no criminal activity reported, one may say there may be some truth to the claim.

However, the AG and the Police Commissioner are correct – patron security must be taken seriously by the promoter who stands to profit the most from the event.

Many spend money on international acts, entertainment packages, and their infrastructure to ensure a great experience, alcohol and food. However, not enough attention is paid to the security of patrons or even security and lightning in parking areas.

No costs should be spared in ensuring that all bases are covered. If a promoter expects thousands, they must put in place the required number of entry points with adequate security. They must have an overall plan for the swift movement of masses of people without compromising security.

Patrons often get unsettled and antsy when they are in long lines for an inordinate length of time. These are logistical issues that lie squarely at the feet of the promoter of the event

There can be no cutting corners, settling for the easy and cheap security or, as Commissioner Boyce, said “scrappy and insufficient” security. Patron safety must not be a second thought or an addendum.

Any meaningful effort to curb hooliganism must be done in a fully joint effort; an effort that includes the police, BDF, promoters and their properly-trained private security

We, the law-abiding paying patrons, will accept nothing less. Crop Over is our national festival of merriment; therefore, we expect to be able to enjoy it without fear of losing life or limb.

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