Airport! Airport! What about ah good hospital?

Exactly 42 years ago ah passed thru Toronto on my way to Calgary, it was my first time in ah metro city, man ah was like de naughty boy who did run way to Scotland, ah stood in me shoes and wandered. Today ah dey right back in de same Toronto and I am knocked over, ah holding me breath, Canada is light years ahead.{{more}}

Ah will not be so ridiculous as to compare Toronto wid my beloved SVG which unfortunately, got ah long ways to Tippa Weary and ah long, long way to go. Presently ah undergoing medical treatment in Toronto, and as ah sat waiting foh my daily two minutes treatment, all ah was seeing was professional-is-him, wid ah facility wid quality health care at best; and me mind run pon home, our Hospital; notice ah refuse to use de official name, ah will not associate de name Milton Cato, ah name synonymous wid dignity and class, wid dat poor excuse foh ah health facility.

Sir Vin-Sin once called it ah Mort-u-wary, dat statement made Dr Thomas, de den SMO, ball crocodile tears. But ah experience foh me-self de poor people’s woes, when ah went down dey to do ah blood test foh my PSA level. Oh, by de way, ah begging, ah pleading wid all men over forty, to go and get yuh blood test foh PSA count, go see way yuh Pass-straight saying before it is too late. Ah promise ah series ah articles on de Pass-straight very soon.

At our Hospital ah was told by de clerk dat dey did not have de “what ever she called it” to do ah PSA test. Mek matters worse, both my Doctors, Garraway and De Shong had indicated dat at some stage ah would need CT (cat) Scan and so on. De same time ah came out ah de Hospital Lab, ah saw de controversial CT (Cat) Scan in front de Hospital, parked up in Victoria Park waiting foh Red Rat. Ah overs from Lie-Za, it was subsequently installed wid de usual “never see, come see” ULP fan–fear, but not wuking.

Lie-Za begged me to get out ASAP. It costing an arm and ah leg but thanks to de Almighty, my caring family: wife, children, brothers and sister, some generously, genuine friends and associates , ah was able to reach de Princess Margaret Hospital in de nick ah time. Nevertheless, ah dey hey trying to figure out way kind ah curse dey pon we, how Canadians and even Trinnies are provided wid free medicals, surgery, radiation, chemo, whatever, but we, especially de less fortunate brothers and sisters at home, suffering wid all kind ah health problem, kid-knee, pass-straight, breast and so on, literally dying foh want ah treatment dey could never and would never be able to afford, and it is no bother to de men in Guv-ah-mint. Readers please don’t get me wrong, but ah do have my own reservations when de subject ah International Airport comes up.

Lately ah does get turned off when our Prime Minister return from abroad, to hear him, first and foremost in his report , de Argyle Airport. It is as though our salvation is built on one ting, dis Airport, ah facility which SVG already has five. Ah read way he reported on his last trip dat he drafted two new members into his “Collision ah de Whale-in”, both promise (again) to help wid de Airport.

Ah often woner where, on ah score one to ten, does Proper Health Care foh all find itself on de ULP card. We know Argyle Airport is numbers 1, 2 and 3, but way de hell is hell’th? Lie-Za was saying dat if de PM were to suggest to many ah his Whale-in Collision friends dat, de citizens of his civil-lies-say-shun are dying foh want of proper health care, and dat he badly needs ah medical facility, he is likely to get funding more readily foh ah Hospital dan foh ah Airport.

Den she say she listen to dem making big boast dat we now have two medical schools, and getting ah third. But de only benefit dey seem interested in, is house rental and Mini Van transportation. She is suggesting dat we should be focusing pon ah top Health Facility, and wid great urgency too.

De Medical students go get training at de facility and by extension nationals, would get de benefit ah top surgeons, professors and specialists who will visit de schools from time to time. If and when we do dat, SVG could become ah top facility in de region, bringing in millions ah dollars from our neighbours seeking medical treatment.

WE NEVER TOO OLE

My brother-in-law who is re-tyred, is ah late bloomer lawn tennis player, like Jack Joachim and Syd Hazel, dey learn to play long past dey junior days. He insisted dat ah go watch him play in ah “Masters Tournament”, ah bunch ah novices; two groups, “over 55” and “over 65”, singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Ah nice lickle club with seven courts, three clay courts on either side of ah hard court. As was expected, dey had lots ah casualties, de best athlete, an East Indian, re-tired with asthma symptoms; ah good many limped off court, pride made my broths stay on court; but ah fit Shy-knees pair held on to de end.

While ah had ah good silent laugh, ah tipped my hat to de folks, and asked me-self one question, apart from Doc Cyrus, Jack, Syd and Micey Sutherland, name ah fifth person over 65 who is actively involved in any kind ah sport in SVG.

Come on seniors get out dey and even walk, we never too ole.

And wid dat is gone ah gone again One Love Bassy

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