-Carnival Violence

by Yvette Juste

livedelifeusvi.blogspot.com

Every year people die around Carnival time, and it’s getting worse every year. Carnival is just growing with violence and hatred. Is Carnival supposed to be like this? That is what I keep on wondering to myself. In the article “Carnival’s wake-up call” published in the Virgin Islands Daily News on April 30, 2013, author Amanda Norris explains that our beloved Carnival is getting out of hand.

First, numerous shootings occurred at the Carnival village and at J’ouvert. In response, Clarence Payne, a senator of the U.S. Virgin Islands, said, “Right now we need to take a break from that activity for a couple of years to let us look at how we can better protect innocent lives, and if after two or three years we re-evaluate and we decide that we have the manpower, the equipment, the technology and what-have-you to do that, then we will reconsider.”

St. Thomas Source

In my opinion, removing J’ouvert is both good and bad. Removing J’ouvert is bad because it is a part of our culture, and people look forward to it every year. Removing J’ouvert is good because that’s where shootings happen, and that is killing the tourism. No tourist is going to return because of all the violence. If the tourists don’t return to the Virgin Islands, we would are going to be in economic trouble because the Virgin Islands thrives off tourism. And locals don’t like the violence, either.

Another point that got my attention is the bad relationship between Virgin Islanders and the Police Department. “I do not trust our police department. A lot of it has to do with an image of corruption and negativity they portray. I have lost my trust in them, and I believe a lot of people in our community have lost their trust in them,” said Louis Danet, the pastor at Jubilee Anointed Ministries.

I feel that Louis Danet is telling the truth. Police officers of the Virgin Islands especially need to be an example. I have encountered rude police officers before. Once, my friend and I were standing up by the dock. This police officer was getting off the boat and gestured to my friend to move out of the way because he wanted to pass. She wasn’t really paying attention to him, so he bumped into her and gave her a dirty look. It isn’t hard just to say “excuse me.” In my opinion, these police can’t handle power. I can’t imagine the future for the Virgin Islands with police like this.

Also, I feel that some of the Virgin Islands police officers aren’t fit for the job because they are overweight. If, for example, a robbery occurs in broad daylight and the criminals run off, our police are not in the shape to chase them down and bring justice. Instead, the officers use their guns, and probably cause unnecessary deaths.

Finally, it’s hard to trust the police because on the news I’m always seeing crimes by police officers being reported. Recently Sgt. Angelo Hill, who headed the police on St. John, and Chief Enforcement Officer Roberto Tapia of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, was arrested for drug trafficking.

Virgin Islands Police Department

As we have seen, Carnival is getting out of hand. Carnival is just going to continue to get worse until the people do something about it. Next year, we should make a Rally Against Violence a Carnival event. If we don’t act soon, our beloved Carnival will be filled with even more violence, or worse, be gone.