By J.A.Wallace GRENVILLE, St.Andrew (March 11, 2006): In recent times, there has been quite a lot of talk, in all social circles, about “passa passa” and its effect on the Grenadian society. The Hon. Clarice Charles, Minister for Education, along with other prominent government officials and non-government organizations, has spoken out very strongly against this dance form, which has infiltrated our society. The consensus seem to be that this ‘cultural art form’ has no place in Grenadian society because it undermines, in a serious way, our social, moral and ethical values as a people. The concept of ‘passa passa’, if I am not mistaken, was originally meant to be a dance contest or competition, where people showcase their innovative dance moves. Somewhere along the line, however, things got out of hand, and ‘perversion’ and ‘profiteering’ became the major driving forces behind these ‘show-downs’. These dance competitions have degenerated into a sort of street dance, starting late at nights and going on until a few hours before daybreak. The venues selected for these activities are usually not the sort of places that ‘decent folks’ would want to visit. There is usually street vending taking place, and alcoholic drinks are almost always available. As if this is not enough, it is alleged that at some of these ‘passa passa’ functions, prizes are given to the ladies wearing the least amount of clothes. This is an open invitation for women to attend these street dances almost completely naked, and based on information I have heard , some of these young ladies could very accurately be characterized as being naked, while at these dances, based on the items of clothing that are usually missing. There are usually other prizes given out for activities I would not want to mention on this media outlet, because of its obscene nature, and out of respect for the readers of this article. I do not think it takes a ‘rocket scientist’ to figure out what usually happens in an environment where you have young girls and boys, provocatively dresses, partying late at nights in an arena that rewards lawless, licentious and lascivious behavior. Such an environment will definitely be a ‘hot spot’ for prostitution and drug use. With the AIDS pandemic claming the lives of so many people worldwide and the Caribbean region having such a serious problem with the number of HIV positive cases in relation to total population size, we have to be extremely concerned as a people and demand urgent action from the authorities. It is also my understanding that films are usually made while these ‘sordid orgies’ are taking place and then these films are sold. Such a practice is totally degrading to our young women and places a low value on our young people. Some men see many young girls as ‘sexual objects’ and this only worsens the situation and reinforces this perception. This, I think, is promiscuity / pornography in its most distasteful form. Are we, as Grenadians, modeling our society after Sodom and Gomorrah? Are some people in our midst so desperate that they will do anything just to make a few dollars, irrespective of how immoral and tasteless it might be? I applaud all the conscious - minded Grenadians who have voiced their utter revulsion to passa passa and hope that the authorities will act very expeditiously to expunge the scourge of this subculture from our beautiful society. Parents ought to be held accountable for their children who attend these functions while they are at home sleeping. These ‘parents’ or ‘guardians’, if they can still be referred to that way, are not showing any sort of concern for the future well being of the children in their care. The time has come for parents and adults to assume proper control and management of their homes. They have to me made cognizant of the serious responsibilities that are involved in shaping the minds, habits and lifestyles of the younger generation. When we talk about ‘building back better’ we should not only confine our thinking to physical and infrastructural things; we also need to place quintessential value on things like morality, ethics and values in the rebuilding process. Although many people tend to overlook them and somehow disparage their significance, no genuine progress can take place without their prominent inclusion. History has taught us that civilizations were destroyed without them. Now is the time for everyone to come together and ensure that as we rebuild our country, we do what is necessary to repair out torn moral fabric. We owe it to our children and our grandchildren to do what is right, and denounce what is wrong, so that they can inherit a country that is better and brighter than the one we have.