Not too late to reconciliate

Good Add-vice is scarce. Last Sat-dey former Speak-um-all was his vintage self, giving sound add-vice to present Speaker Alexander.

Maule was ah guest on “Global Highlights”, a Radio Program hosted by Loose-it King, ah US based Vincy Activist. She’s one ah de Lillies ah de Valley. Maule, ah frank and fearless Christian, feels strongly dat Alexander no longer commands de respect of de Awe-position members in Par-liar-mint, in which case should step down. Lie-Za say dat if even Alexander wants to dah’s ah decision not even Alexander could mek.{{more}} Ah wrote already and say Alexander is Buy-us and ah done wid dat. When dis ting all started wid dem ULP Dread Bills, ah suggested Reconciliation. Dat de Guv-ah-mint withdraw de Bills and de Opposition withdraw de Cases. Somehow ah don’t believe dat dem people who was mouthing off pon pull-it-tek-all rostrum, pulling down people’s good name, were aware dat such ah Bill or Law dat could mek dem lose dey seat existed. De Bill has its good intentions, primarily it dey to ensure dat proper verbal high-jean is practised during election calm-pain. So de Bill is not de problem, is de people, de nasty mouths wid venomous tongue, de dutty name callers, scandal- mongers, spreading nasty rumors dat will tek decades before de truth is revealed and people’s dignity restored. Even Ken-knee and Torn-knee, ah former Prime Minister ah St Lucia came to SVG and got into de act, calling Arm-in ah Man-ah-cou. De Bill calls foh stiff and harsh penalties, man could lose dey seat and barred from running foh five years. So dat if de Court Cases dat de NDP trying to bring against ULP members ah par-liar-mint were to be heard and fall against dem, it could spell more K-us in de House. And dat is why de ULP is insistent in having de Bills removed, and retroactive at dat. Ah still calling foh Reconciliation, but dat would only come if de real Minister ah Reconciliation approves. Lie-Za say de Ole Lady in Bequia who did tell de PM to remove de dollar tax on Grenadines people, say to tell him she want to see him again, immediately if not sooner!

HIS EXCELLENCY CHATOYER STOOD UP

Monday morning, bright and early faithful Nationals will journey to Dorsetshire Hill to pay respects to our National Hero and Paramount Chief, Excellency Joseph Chatoyer. When I went to school Chatoyer was no Hero, not according to the Ebenezer Duncan’s lickle book: “ A Brief History of St Vincent”. Chatoyer and our ancestors (Caribs) were ah set ah rogues and trouble makers who Stood Up to de peaceful and law-abiding British, de new owners ah SVG. Columbus say he met de Caribs in full occupation here when he passed in 1498, let’s say Columbus had his dates mixed up, but we know foh sure he was in de region before 1500, dat’s nearly two hundred years before any British ever set foot in SVG. Chief Chatoyer must ah bin in shock when he woke up dah bright and sunny morning, ah good day to go hunting or spear fishing, lo and behold, he saw a boat anchored, sailors row ashore and stick up ah Flag on de sand and shouted: “Dis is paradise! God save de King”. Den de captain buss open ah small barrel wid “Rich Ruby Wine”, he tek ah mouth full den pass it over to de soldiers; dat more dan sweeten dem, dey tek off dey clothes, stone muddah naked, into de sea to cleanse in our crystal waters. Chatoyer knew lickle or no English but what he saw was no pick-nick. He had ah good ting going wid de Fench and had given dem permission to live down in Walliabou and Barrouallie before de British beat dem up; but he nor his ancestors never signed over no Title Deed foh SVG or any part ah SVG give nobody. Trouble is, de Brtitish had ah signed Treaty way de French surrendered SVG to de British. But as far as Chatoyer was concerned, he was not going to submit his God given Rights, no law would mek dat right, so he “STOOD UP” against dat historical wrong, and asked de British to WITHDRAW! We all know de story, Our ancestors were beaten and killed, those who survived were banished from dey God-given land. Over de years we have had leaders who STOOD UP foh our Rights. Mc Intosh STOOD UP and was charged foh Treason, he won dat Case. Gonsalves STOOD UP to Mitchell’s Dread Bills, dey were untimely and Mitchell had to WITHDRAW Dem and later step down. No bashing or bruising of any member ah par-liar-mint took place. And is like “what goes around, comes around”. Last week Thursday, Opposition members ah par-liar-mint STOOD UP against more Dread Bills, and asked de same Gone-soft’s ULP to WITHDRAW dem. The Opposition refused to SIT DOWN and de Speaker read de Riot Act, he ordered dat de men be thrown out using whatever force was necessary. De people’s elected Representatives were beaten by Police, who didn’t get dey back damage were kicked and dashed down stairs like “sacks ah fertile-lies-sir” banished from dey house.

WALLS ARE STILL CRUMBLE-IN

May I remind us dat when de children of Israel crossed Jordan River to tek charge ah de Promised Land of Canaan, dey could not get pass Jericho, ah city surrounded by ah double wall, wid houses built between both walls. De wall was 24 feet wide and 45 feet high; chariots traversed along the top ah dat wall. De Israelite had no explosives or tanks to move dat wall; so dey leader, Joshua consulted his God and got ah Master Plan, and one ah de greatest test ah Faith took place. Foh six days dey marched one lap around de wall wid seven Priests blowing Horns of Ram sheep. On de seventh day, in profound silence dey marched around seven times, on de seventh lap, de crowd burst into an uproar and immediately de Walls ah Jericho fell. Is all kind ah explanation given including earthquake; but de mighty Jericho fell.. It’s all in Joshua chapter 6. And wid dat is gone ah gone again. One Love Bassy

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