Vincy pride de Police Band

Dis week ah driving in de centre ah de road; a not even stopping to pass me Fowl-mouth pon dis Giant Chicken Project ah read about last week. Dat is one Chicken Soup ah not tasting till ah see de chicken hatch, grow, cleaned, seasoned, den cook before ah swallow piece. Ah still remember de Biscuit Factory dat was to employ 600 workers, running three shifts wid 200 persons per shift.{{more}} Maybe next week ah will comment.

Firstly ah want to congratulate de Young Leaders at Boys Grammar School (BGS), my “All-me-matter” foh walking away wid de young Leaders Trophy, “Four in ah Row”. Ah did write say ah couple months ago dat, ah was impressed wid music played by ah young DJ, Rickards, de president ah de BGS Young Leaders, he certainly living up to my observations.

However all during de (friendly) war of words between members ah both GHS and BGS Young Leaders, ah kept my silence. Ah had me buy-us “Ole Boy” loyalty towards Grammar School, added, my son is a student dey now.

Den ah also had ah soft feeling foh second place, GHS; it’s dey 100th Anniversary and my daughter was ah member ah de school’s Young Leaders dis year. And den dey’s Mel, my niece who’s ah Science Teacher at St Joseph Convent Marriaqua; she was heart and soul in de project out dey, so much so dat Robert, her hussy come-plane to me, I-dear not repeat what he come-plane bout!

Ah don’t know de cry-tea-error foh judging but, my pick would ah been de Marriaqua Convent student’s “Hydroponics project”; dey successfully demonstrated how to grow plants, lettuce, celery, thyme etc, using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. But de Judges’ decision is final. Lie-Za wants me to ask Mel if “madam Marie Warner” can survive under hydroponics condition.

DE BAND

Ah also want to Big-up de Police Band on its 60th birthday. Ah so lucky dat ah was ah lickle youth-man when de Band started in 1951, Weston Lewis was de first Band Conductor.

Back den de Police Band was headed by de white men from England; Randolph and Jenkins, chief and deputy or vice versa. Dr. Care-Not John reminds me dat Randolph believed in Community watch, he roamed de villages late at nights.

One night his car turned over above my home, now called White City. He was doing his regular community service by dropping home one of his fair-foh-hit young ladies from de village. But dat Police Band is de bastion, de head corner stone ah Vincy cultural.

It is one ah de few pillars ah Colonial-is-him dat still standing in SVG. De only ting more Cole-own-yu-all dan de Band is de PM, he lapped-top Prince Willie and Kate’s wedding and if Prince Harry gets married tomorrow, dis time he’ll be at de front pew in West Minister.

Dey’s hardly ah Vincy event or function, be it social, cultural, pull-it-to-kill, funeral, whatever dat is ever widout de Police Band. Dey’s no Christmas in de rural communities widout de Police Band and, were it not foh dat Band, dey’ll be no brass on stage foh Carnival.

Ah vaguely remember some ah de original members, Arleigh Douglas aka “cashew-head”played de bass drum, his older brother Tah Douglas was out front wid de baton; ah think former Commissioner O’garro played ah Tuba.

Lots ah talent passed thru de Force Band, Trumpeters Coombs, who now arranges foh Starlift; Kenton Kirby, and Rick Mc Donald will not forgive me if ah owe-myth he was ah early member.

Would yuh believe hotelier, Vidal Browne was ah band Cadet, ah wonder what instrument he played, got to be de fool-ute. Despite being unrecognized foh dey yoh-man service, de Band continues to bloom in its repertoire and sweet musical tone.

Lie-Za say to ask Commissioner Me-Law to explain why de present Conductor, Jam-back, in de band over 30 years, dat’s half de life ah de organization, and he is only ah Station Sergeant.

Dey just announced ah list ah names ah officers who got promoted, nutting foh Jam-back. Long Live Jam-back and long live de Police Band! Talking bout promotion, Traffic Officer, Calvin “Goal-teeth” Glasgow is now Inspector, ah well earned promotion.

Lie-Za say ah must polish-up Goal Teeth and address him as Inspector “Gold-Tooth”! And ah bigging-up me Architect buddy, Orin Bennett now ah member ah de “I-scream” fraternity.

Ah lickle outlet within in his office building above St. Mary’s Church wid Nice flavours, Sugar Free, Fat Free but not Cash Free! Lie-Za say ah must M-foh-size dat wuk scarce even foh Architects, dis is Orin’s Ole Mas placard : “I-scream-in cone”!

SIX DISCIPLES Ah inadvertently forget to Big-up six newly ordained Deacons at de R.C. Church including my God-brother, Victor “Power”Peters; guess ah will have to address him as “Father Power”!

Also Patrick Da Silva; Woodsie, ah former national Cyclist; Teacher Best and John De Freitas, dem in dis Cat-lick ting so long dey should mek dem Bishop.

Ah missing one, but congrats are in order. Christ’s Vine-yard crying out foh wukers and it is commendable dat these fellars, never mind dey wait till dey back could hardly bend over to pruner Grape Vine, have come forward.

On dat Great Day, St Peter is going to pose one question at us, it will sound like dis: “ Brother Bassy, I notice yuh certainly did ah great deal ah one-dah-full tings foh society, but tell me something, what exactly did yuh do foh de Lord”?

And Bro Bassy will pound his chest wid confidence and reply like Cess Mek-he: “Arm… arm… I did arm..arm..arm….arm”. Don’t get caught by de Arm, do sumting foh Jesus now!

And wid dat is gone ah gone again. One Love Bassy

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