Hero Treatment

Last month it was all about Black History and interestingly this month of March is foh Heritage and He-rose. Tek the last one first, He-rose; ah wrote already that we not pushing, ley me use ah better word, instilling in the minds ah the young ones this whole concept ah National He-rose, in particular Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer, our first National Hero. {{more}}

It seems like it is only on March 14 ah does hear the name Chatoyer; there is more references to persons whose contributions are no way half as great as Chatoyer’s. While is ah good I-dear to big up our past He-rose, ah often wonder when reference is made of former P.M. Milton Cato’s role as the founding father ah the nation, why ah lickle inclusion cannot be made of the sterling contribution ah Hero Chatoyer, the man who died in combat, defying the British from taking way our country from we.

Lie-Za could mek miss-shift when she ready, she asking if all ah this got to do with the fact that Chtoyer came from too humble ah background, and she reminds me that is only as recent as in the 1980’s that the Administration saw to it that the Grenadines and the Carib Country enjoyed the basic amenities (pipe-borne water, lights and telephone) like the town folks. She further reminded me how previous administrations never took kindly to the I-dare of naming Chatoyer ah National Hero, as though he or his contribution wasn’t good nuff foh such high honour.. Thanks to the present administration, all ah that was put to rest.

But we still lapsing and ah was glad to hear Minister Baptiste in her address this week inviting teachers to include in the class-room the work of Doc Kirby and Cims Martin ” The Rise and Fall of the Black Caribs”. Ah start yes, but is much more wuk dey foh do! Ah wrote one time say, that ah went to ah country where almost every-way ah turn ah saw the presence ah that country’s National Hero, the currency was named after him, his statue was in every lickle Square, public building, schools, and so on, and now the entire country is named after him. Ah even made ah humble suggestion that we here could mek ah start by placing ah monument ah Chatoyer at ah public place in every town on main-land St. Vincent and on every Grenadines island, Mustique, PSV and Palm Is. included. To be honest ah thought we would ah gone further than way we dey. Ah see absolutely nothing wrong with ah island scholarship called “The Joseph Chatoyer Award foh Excellence”. National Sports Council having Award Ceremony every year, ah big thing, the fact that ah Carib Son has been winning the award foh “Most Outstanding Sporting Personality” time and time again should ah given us ah hint that maybe we could ah name or re-name the Award after Joseph Chatoyer.

And this brings me to the Heritage Square, what ah disgusting site to behold on ah Sat-dey morning or any morning after ah night Event at the Square. And it meks no difference which organization uses the area, Gospel or whomsoever, the same Garbage littered next morning from Back Street to Bay Street. And you know who gets full marks? The Sanitation Wukers. By the time the town is opened, these wukers done have everything spic’ n’ span like nothing happened the night before. They give me message foh Dug-he Slater, this is year number three and they still wearing the one uniform they got.

But back to this waste matter, it is shameful though, that while our youngsters free-up themselves and let off steam at these functions, they could just forget way-dey-dey and drop dey plastic bottles, cups, plates and whatever right way dey eat and drink, and ain’t feel no-way bout that either. That is wuk-less-ness! This shows that our people, young as well as ole, are not getting the message, we not responding to the nation-wide appeals on TV and Radio begging us to do it right, help keep the country clean, tek some pride in we-self and ultimately our Country. Littering on the streets and in the gutters, throwing litter out ah yuh vehicle is a simple way of saying: ” My country is ah garbage bin and my role is to fill it up”! Ah also went to another country way there is ah stiff penalty foh littering, it could be as small as ah sweety paper, you hold that till you reach home. So while we might think that we meking tracks with our lovely plans year after year to mark Heritage month and He-rose Day, we need ah lot ah ground wuk, we have to go back to basics, ah long way that is.

Glenn the master organizer could not ah done it better. Julie-Ann gave Glenn the kind ah funeral that Glenn himself would ah give full marks.. Suzan his widow was an excellent display of courage and strength, no doubt only Jesus could have fortified her foh the occasion. Her tribute was one of Love, Compassion and Hope. Ah been praying daily foh Suzan and the kids and Glenn’s Mom, my former Primary School teacher Mrs Jackson-Robin. They will all be fine! The Prime Minister was overwhelmed with agony and great pain as he Did It His Way foh Glenn, his loyal and trusted friend and buddy. Rev. Job was his funeral best this time. He was forthright and correct when he went searching foh answers to some serious questions, all leading up to ah culmination of the crime situation here and ultimately Glenn’s execution! And Job again said it all when he called on the Minister ah Education to get this business ah discipline in the school right. Mind you discipline also begins at home. What gone bad ah morning can’t come good ah evening!

And of course Julie-Ann Did It His Way too foh Glenn, he sang Frank Sinatra’s “I Did It My Way”! Ah ask Lie-Za what she thought ah Julie-Ann’s singing of ” I Did It My Way” foh Glenn, she say Julie-Ann Did It His Way!

And with that ah gone again.