Post by sporky on Nov 26, 2019 22:26:10 GMT -4
- Tourism
- Heroes
- PR System
Barbados
Barbados could be seen as one of the first countries that used heroes, the fact is that the hero system in Barbados can be definitely seen as different from the ones in Japan or other countries. The island used their heroes as a tourist attraction and give off a certain atmosphere of protectionism. Barbados is an island that is depending a lot on tourism, and to protect that in the unrest and strange setting of the new phenomenon of the quirk, the country had to adapt. The country added courses where people could learn to control their quirks and has special areas where you can use your quirk as long as you have a license, mostly for performances like at circuses or other entertainment features. This industry grew and you can get a license as a tourist without much further ado and so on, Barbados wants to give off a happy atmosphere and doesn't fact check too much when it comes to asking for a license. Up till now, that has not brought too many issues as of yet.
The country, of course, has also its bad industry and a lot of illegal smugglers and human traffickers come to the island to gain money but that's not what Barbados looked at when they introduced their first hero system. To introduce the hero system and everything that came with it: the advertisement, the events, the hero outfits, the security and so costs a lot of money, which meant that Barbados created higher the taxes for the citizens of the island. These taxes were covered under other names than of course the use of the hero system, they threw it under a minor quirk-tax, tourism tax, everything to make it seem that it had a purpose.
In the meantime the heroes, there were only two of them, got dressed in great outfits, made publicity, joined the police force whenever was necessary. Simply to show face as if they were as amazing as the news showed them. This news could be seen as a propaganda way of getting new tourists that were interested in quirk use or kids that were inspired to become a hero, as you could meet them and talk to them. At one point, however, a journalist discovered where the hard-working coins of the citizens of Barbados went to, inspired by the poverty raise that had reached the country, he uncovered this and started attacks. These attacks were planned very carefully as the government later noticed, buildings went up in flames without any casualties and it was not the heroes that were quick enough to jump in. Eventually, it went wrong and lots of citizens died as well as firemen and the chief officer of the capital city. With this, there came a lot of demonstrations against the tax uses and where the money went and especially against the two heroes that the capital knew. The Barbados government immediately decided to stop the hero program to simply satisfy the people of Barbados and focus its attention again back on tourism in general and invest the money into the police itself and special task forces against smuggling, swindling and human trafficking. The blame of the failed rescue was shifted on the heroes and they disappeared and were in a way forgotten.
Barbados is now looking to other countries to learn from them and how their hero program works, as well as what they do with the pro-heroes.
Contributed by Rosey