Archbishop Harris: Skimpy mas bad for children

Speaking to Sunday Newsday during yesterday’s opening session of Consider This: A National Conversation on Protecting Children From The Harmful Effects of Pornography, at the Hilton Trinidad, St Ann’s, Harris said the images of masqueraders in scanty costumes had the potential to contribute to the sexualised environment at Carnival.

The Archbishop suggested that this scenario could have a disturbing impact on young children who may have already been exposed to pornography in some form or fashion.

“I think part of the solution is that we get back into Carnival and start re-creating our Carnival,” he said.

“I think we have submitted to a Brazilian colonialist way where Carnival is concerned and that is bad. If we get back to what Carnival originally was, I think things will start getting better although there was always lasciviousness in Carnival.” Harris was responding to a contribution by psychologist Alicia Hoyte, during an open forum, about the effects of the “Carnival culture” in fuelling sexual deviancy.

He said some consideration must be paid to Carnival to ensure the desired results were achieved.

“I think we have to study it a little,” Harris said.

“Carnival is an important part of our culture and so we have to study it but I have always said that Carnival is a good thing.

But when good people move away, then they open the door for others to come in.” The Archbishop said it was no secret that TT had one of the highest rates of pornography use in the world.

“Everybody knows that Trinidad is one of the worst in the world where pornography is concerned with online hits and all that kind of thing. It is extremely bad,” he said.

Harris urged the organisers of the conference - the Archdiocesan Family Life Commission - and other stakeholders to galvanise their efforts “to work against this scourge.” He said potential State involvement in the fight, by way of policy, will only come through continued lobbying.

Harris also said sex education must be part of the curriculum at all Roman Catholic schools.

“We should have sex education in schools but it depends on what you mean by sex education.

But there should be sex education in schools,” he said, adding that the ill effects of pornography should also be part of the curriculum.