As this country grapples with the devastating impact of the explosive eruption of La Soufriere Volcano, one of the problems facing some shelters is alcohol consumption and the effects.
Superintendent of the Kingstown/Chateaubelair Circuit of the Methodist Church, Rev Adolf Davis highlighted the issue as he delivered the sermon at a worship service on Sunday. He was at the time speaking about feelings and happiness.
“You know, one of the things we have discovered at a number of the shelters; you know one of the things at the shelters where you have some kinda basabasa, basabasa (disorderly conduct/confusion) is fellas who’re drinking rum,” Rev Davis told the congregation.
The Methodist Superintendent said that when people drink alcohol or take drugs they tell you that they are feeling nice but that feeling is only for the moment. He explained that happiness is not a present or temporary feeling but it is a state of “being.
“And they feel so nice, some of them go home and they start to say some stupid things and sometimes beat up the children and the wife, and quarrel with whoever. And sometimes they get into fights because they wrong-talk at the bar and all kinds of stupidness.
“You feel so nice that you’re causing all kinda problem,” Rev Davis said in reference to persons who claim to have a “nice’ feeling from alcohol consumption.
Following April 9, 2021, the start of the explosive eruptions of La Soufriere, it was estimated that there were over 7,000 evacuees in public shelters and almost 7,000 in private homes.
