by Linda Straker
- Carnival celebrations cancelled to contain and control spread of Covid-19
- Small pockets of jab jabs in different communities with largest gathering in St Andrew
- Contingent from Rapid Response Unit and other departments blocked road at Paradise Bridge
Despite the Houses of Parliament approving the cancellation of Carnival Monday and Tuesday celebrations and the days to be observed as normal working days, hundreds of individuals from various communities across Grenada defied that order and were seen engaging in Jab Jab J’ouvert celebrations.
An official from the Ministry of National Security said that there were small pockets of jab jabs in different communities in particular St Paul’s and St Mark parish, with the largest gathering in St Andrew.
Beating drums and buckets along with blowing whistles, horns and other instruments, hundreds of jab jabs under a banner “More Jab… Freedom” chanted their objection to the cancellation of carnival, the current ruling administration as well as their opposition to Covid-19 vaccination, through their communities as they began a journey to the eastern town of Grenville.
“The mob is heading to Grenville,” said the narrator in a live feed transmitted on the Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN) Facebook page.
However, as the jab jabs approached Paradise Bridge, a contingent from the Rapid Response Unit and other departments blocked the road with police vehicles and formed human chains, causing the revellers to abandon the journey.
The live Facebook feed showed a small number of revellers diverting to cross the river beneath the bridge to continue the journey. About an hour later, the revellers were diverted to the airstrip of the former Pearls airport in St Andrew. By midday, police were unable to confirm if there were any individuals detained or arrested.
The carnival celebrations cancellation was part of measures taken by the Government to contain and control the spread of Covid-19. In 2020 the Government also cancelled the traditional August celebrations. Covid-19 continues to spread throughout the world and there are currently different variants of the virus. Grenada, at present, has 11 active cases.
In the weeks leading up to the carnival celebrations, several individuals who were engaging in J’ouvert carnival-like celebrations without permission were ticketed by the police under the public health regulations. Police disclosed that social media postings were used to identify persons who were engaging in illegal gatherings.
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Let’s face it. There are a multiplicity of factors contributing to the defiance by Grenadians expressed through the Jab Jab movement. By the same token, there are a multiplicity of accounts of the origin of JAB. And Citizen John Rullow’s version, as expressed a few days ago on the Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN), and on several other local talk shows, is just one of such accounts. Simply put, whether JAB originated as a mode of devil worship or whether it truly is an integral part of our Grenadian culture, or a relic of our African heritage, as is so well documented in Curlan Campbell’s article: “Is It Really Jab Jab or Fertility Worship In Disguise?” (08/10/2020), there is no denying the fact that the Jab Jab tradition has exponentially increased in size and popularity from its earliest days to now. Grenadians of the Christian persuasion are inclined to think that the prevailing defiance through the medium of JAB represents a kind of social decadence due to the abandonment of the Christian faith by the populace. But such an explanation could not be further from the truth. And, Grenadians should not shy away from task of examining the origin and impact of the Christian religion with the same kind of fervor with which they dissect the Jab Jab tradition. Just as Grenadians question whether there are any redeeming qualities to the practice of Jab Jab, they should also ask themselves whether the claim that Grenada is a Christian society is something of which Grenadians should really be proud. For starters, the Christian religion was founded by Saul of Tarsus (“Apostle Paul”), a former murderous operative of the Roman state, and was used by Constantine of Constantinople, Pope Gregory, and other “founding fathers” of the particular belief system as an instrument in spreading the tentacles of the Roman Empire. (Recall the term “Roman Catholic Church). In other words, the Christian religion has nothing to do with the teachings attributed to the carpenter’s son known as Jesus. To the contrary, as the Book of Romans and Paul’s many writings make clear, Christianity encourages its adherence to practice subservience to the laws of the state while looking forward to the sacrilegious return of the GOD/MAN and a life of eternal bliss as a reward for simply subscribing to the simplistic tenets of the faith. Without doubt, such a belief system must be sacrilegious. For if God is a spirit, and if God is immutable (unchanging in nature), why would God have found the need to atone for the remission of man’s sinful nature by violating his own nature as a remedial step for having failed to attribute his divine and flawless nature to imperfect human beings. The followers of Judaism (the Jews or God’s so-called “Chosen People”), who gave Christianity to the world, do not subscribe to such sacrilegious beliefs for they know that GOD IS ONE and that God has very little tolerance for anyone who attempts to usurp his Deity. Accordingly, far from the notion that the many ills bewitching Grenada are due to Grenadians partaking in the innocent past-time of “playing Jab Jab”, or in recognizing Grenada as “The Land of 100,000 JABS,” as pontificated by a plethora of local pastors, it might very well be the case that God is sorely displeased with the fact that Grenadians, like most of the African People, have totally surrendered to the sacrilegious practices of Christianity. And so, rather than seeking to exorcise the spirit of JAB from the Grenadian culture, as espoused by Citizen Rullow and others, Grenadians and other peoples of African ancestry should urgently endeavor to exorcise the oppressive the tenets of Christianity from their minds. The only other urgency is that the Jab Jab practitioners should find a more healthy alternative than the use of toxic old oil in their portrayal of the JAB tradition. Meanwhile, kudos to the authorities for not trying to suppress the thousands of revelers.
You cannot ticket someone based on social media posting. You need to witness the offense, not just watch some social media that you can’t prove is current. Leave them alone. You have much more important things to police than this.
Government created the situation by lying about there being “no covid” on Grenada. If you are no longer fulfilling your obligation as Public Health officers and actively testing, encouraging testing, NO CHARGE for testing locals as MILLIONS of dollars were obtained for such tests, you cannot expect a poverty stricken nation to pay $400 EC for a covid test. So you LIE when you have claimed NO COVID on Grenada for months. If you do not TEST you cannot KNOW. So stop this garbage, because you have abandoned the residents and do not follow through on proper testing why shouldn’t they play Jab as according to the HEALTH MINISTRY there is no covid on Grenada and everycase is IMPORTED.
I say garbage to every case is imported with the protocols in place for entry to Grenada. The problem is with the Health Ministry telling Grenadians they don’t have to follow the entry protocols of TWO VACCINE SHOTS, just because they are citizens with passports regardless if they actually live on the island. Safety protocols must apply TO ALL who seek to enter the island of Grenada. Whether it be by local airplane island hopping or international flight. There is NO LOGIC to saying these travellers come in negative PCR plus double vaccinated and then when they test positive claim it is an IMPORTED case of covid. How stupid are you? If they come POSITIVE – AFTER they reach Grenada and have passed quarantine the case becomes LOCAL / COMMUNITY SPREAD as they mix with the locals of the island.
ALL covid TESTING MUST BE FREE !!!!! for the locals and even mild symptoms MUST be tested and determined WHICH VARIANT the positive cases are.
Get into the REAL WORLD so you all don’t die!! The rest of the world knows this virus is no joke.
Just like to say most of the folks doing their Jab in Sauteurs were not from Sauteurs which goes to show it was an island representation to show that they don’t understand what is being asked of them and they don’t care.
The people of Grenada is blaming the prime minister for this cancellation of carnival which is totally incorrect as the people who are responsible for this is the WHO
But most of the law breakers don’t have a clue of world affairs therefore what’s been happening in some of the parishes in the last few days were expected.
In saying that I must say it was an eye opener and a learning curve for me to see how so many people took to the streets and their behaviour with no sound system on trucks or on route..Spice Mas eat your hats!!
The first thing that comes to mind is the lawless views of a limited few.
Carnival was cancelled for reason and general public needs to know and understand what that reason is.
Now the responsibility of keeping peace are in the hands of the government who states in parliament that today is not a holiday nor is carnival on therefore we the citizens have to abide with the law.