Ah voting no unless…

Ah know ah should relax dis weak and write bout Carnival but de situation in Honduras is like real Carnival bark-an-all, ah bit ah concern foh us in SVG. Mr Chavez had to have two riff-ah-random to de-clear his term as president in-dey-foh-night.{{more}} After Chavez got thru, is like every buddy want to try dey own stroke. My man Jose Zelaya try his own ting in Honduras and it backfire. Oh by de way, my father born in Honduras, and I am told dat ah could get Honduran citizenship. Now president Zelaya’s four year term ends in January 2010, he won in 2005 by ah narrow margin 49.8% to 46.1%. Zelaya wants to run foh another term but under de current law he cannot run foh re-election. One term is kind ah short but ‘member our PM did say no more dan two terms, now he says dat no more! De confusion is dat Zelaya wanted ah poll taken last Sunday, foh voters to place ah measure on November’s ballot dat will allow the formation of a constitutional assembly that could change de constitution to allow de president to run foh another term. It was to be ah Vote “Yes or No”! Two ting ring ah bell dey, de November ballot and de “Yes or No” vote. We in SVG will vote Yes or No in November foh ah new constitution, and one ah de issues being challenged is de term limit foh Prime Ministers.

Zelaya’s matter went to de Supreme Court who ruled de Sunday Poll illegal, so too did de Supreme Electorial Assembly as well as his top military brass and congress. So Zelaya found himself up sheet-street widout de support ah his armed forces, de Supreme Court and his other Give-ah-mint institutions. He fired his Army General Romero and de other heads ah de Army, Navy and Air Force resigned in support ah de General. De Supreme Court had him reinstated. De military removed Zelaya and placed de head ah de Congress in charge. We all love to see De-mock-we-see and fair elections, but when yuh president or Prime Minister tun dictator to molest de constitution, s/he inviting Koo, Coup, Hernia or whatever. My question is, come our riff-ah-random in November, are we voting Yes or No to ah New Constitution or we voting Armin or Ralph. Unless ah hear both men say “we are satisfied” ah voting No!

SOMETHING AIN’T RIGHT

My views bout Carnival is dat de positives and possibilities foh cultural and human development could very well balance out de negatives, we must not sacrifice de good foh de undesirables. Ah took in de Junior Pan last Sunday, de crowd was small, just passable. No doubt de folks involved in de Pan Against Crime movement feel deflated; but de Pan program is like ah seedling, and seedlings don’t bear fruits, dey must grow into trees, blossom, and den bear, give it time, minus any pull-ah-tricks. In de meantime de Youlou Pan Movement got it’s wuk to do. Junior Pan should be on ah school day and not Sunday, give ah half hollah-day and admittance foh kids should be free. Sion Hill got back de championship, good wuk by arranger Small. St. Joseph Covent, Kingstown finally got dey reward foh hard wuk, dey been practising evey day at lunchtime foh weeks. Ah was impressed with de new South East Pan-side. De Largo Height band assisted by de Police started de tune like winners, but some-way in de middle dey went flat, ah guess dey buss or something. May I reiterate foh de umteenth time, teach de youngster in de Steel Bands to read music, it is de easiest, fastest and best way to learn to play an instrument and Pan is no exception. Employ Ashley Kirby as ah trainer of trainers. And mek some kind ah arrangement foh our youngsters to go to T’n’T foh planned workshops in playing and tuning Pan, let dem see Pan played by de Maestros.

Ah took in de Junior Kaiso. Again de crowd was disappointing, even though schools got half hollah-day, Something Ain’t Right! Foh strange reasons de lively, humorous presentations are no longer ah big part ah de act. Ah was impressed with country boy, Hance John of Marriaqua Convent who thrilled de crowd in de Junior Soca Competition. He got ah future in de business and should be an automatic pick in de Seniors on Sat-dey night. De lickle Miss from Sandy Bay was gutsy as well. Sad foh de lad from Union Island, he messed up in de end, too vulgar. Carnival must not be ah Lie-sins foh lewd and vulgar acts in public and CDC must insist on no tolerance foh such conduct, especially wid de kids.

FOH JOUVERT AH PLAYING SUE-WINE FOH-LOU.

Lie-Za say she playing Jouvert. She wanted to play ah Mas way she could Wine-up plenty, but her Pastor Clarke was on TV come-plaining bout de vulgar Wine pon stage. So ah told her ah joke how Pastor Clarke and Frederick thought dey would play Jouvert to experience way does mek de Youths behave so crazy. Dey planned to dress like girls in bikini, Frederick will be Sue and Clarke will be Lou. When de question ah Wine came up, Clarke say he out ah touch, so Frederick volunteer to Wine foh both ah dem. “Don’t worry Pastor Clarke” he said, “dis Jouvert watch out foh Sue’Wine-Foh’Lou”! Wear ah mask and keep away from Sue’wine-Foh’Lou. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.