Good morning. Miss Violet is seated, coffee in hand, ready to speak.
THE DROUGHT WATCH
A Hydrological Drought Watch has been declared for April. Groundwater is low. The authorities are asking for water conservation. Miss Violet has been asking for a national water conservation education programme since before most of you were born, and has been told variously that it is “not the right time,” “not in the budget,” and once, memorably, “people already know about water.” They do not. The evidence is the drought watch.
THE RSS AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY COOPERATION
Miss Violet approves. Global partners have committed to supporting the Barbados-based RSS in cybercrime, financial investigations, cross-border drug trafficking, and deportee processing protocols. When Barbados is trusted to host the security architecture for the entire eastern Caribbean, it is because this country has consistently conducted itself with seriousness and professionalism. The RSS reflects well on us. Let us not forget that.
THE FISHERMEN WHO HAVE NOT COME BACK
Three men have been missing since March 14. They left for waters that experienced fishermen called dangerously rough. They did not return. And yet this story has not received front-page treatment every single day. Miss Violet finds this troubling. There are families waiting. There is a community grieving. A man’s cousin said publicly he is preparing to accept the worst. That should not be a paragraph buried after the racing results. These men matter. Say their names and print their photographs.
THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IS ENFORCING THE LAW
The Labour Department will be conducting increased workplace inspections. Officers may enter any workplace at any time and request records. Miss Violet has spent decades telling students that rules without enforcement are suggestions. She is gratified to see the Labour Department arriving at the same conclusion. Employers who have been paying their staff incorrectly, scheduling them without written contracts, or misclassifying them should use this weekend to update their documentation. Miss Violet is not threatening anyone. She is informing them.
FAITH-BASED ORGANISATIONS AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
The government is requiring that faith-based organisations demonstrate programmatic accountability before receiving funds from the new $5 million annual fund. Miss Violet agrees with this completely and without reservation. Being God-fearing does not exempt an organisation from providing a budget, a workplan, and measurable outcomes. It never did. It never should have.
THE YOUNG MAN AND THE EASTER FIREARM
A 26-year-old man was found with an unlicensed firearm and nine rounds of ammunition on Easter Sunday. He has been remanded to Dodds. Miss Violet will observe only that Easter is a time of renewal and transformation, and this young man’s choices placed him on a different trajectory than the one the season invites. She hopes he uses the time in custody to reflect seriously.
CROP OVER
The complaints have begun. This is a reliable indicator that preparation is underway. Barbados always complains its way into excellence. Miss Violet has attended every Crop Over since she can remember, and every year, despite everything, it is spectacular. She has no doubt this year will follow the same pattern.
Miss Violet is a satirical commentary column covering Barbados with civic authority. She is not a real person, but she believes you should behave as though she is watching.