We are in sad times; nine persons confirmed dead and four missing foh over ah week. Christmas Eve night 2013, will be remembered as one ah de darkest nights ever in SVG. Questions are being asked as to what could ah cause de Rivers to burst de seams and behave so badly! Before we start looking foh scape-goat and pointing we index finger hey, dey and every-way, while we big thumb keep pointing back at us, ley we revisit Forestry Officer “Joel Poyer’s Message,” delivered three years ago when Hurry-came Tomas struck SVG.{{more}} Poyer had given an on de spot report dat lots ah fallen trees and debris were sitting dangerously in de mountains, and if dey were not removed, he was predicting disaster if another storm strikes. Six months after Tomas, in April 2011, heavy rains poured up in de same mountains, and exactly as Poyer had predicted, rivers overflowed de banks and wreaked havoc in Georgetown. Ah will re-write that during dat flooding in Georgetown, ah lot ah houses were destroyed, including de Russells. Mrs Russell was damaged and lost ah leg. De Russells did not carry ah ULP Card and were victim-eyes, three years coming up and still no roof over dey head. Ah notice bad things happening to de region and ah thinking of de story of Achan in de book of Joshua, Chapter 7. After Achan had sinned, things went badly foh de Israelites. General, Joshua concluded dat the Lord and His power were not with them anymore. Let us not be fooled again by Crooked Eye Tears; our Reconstruction Process must include reconciliation and regular sessions of “Praying and Fasting” thru-out de Nation. Christian Council, please lead de way!

Ah ain’t finished wid Poyer. Hey’s ah man who takes his job seriously and does not let politics enter-fear wid his love foh his country. In SVG when de message hurts, we destroy de Messenger. Ah hope dey don’t dump Poyer some-way in Bawl-hey-so or Batty-way, like how Utter-Some was dumped from de Class-room and victim-I-say-shun-ally left to vegetate at Ne-Mo. Before Utter-Some was cut from de par-roll, he did Pen’n’Paper and publicly exposed what he considered inadequacies, inefficiencies and deficiencies at at Ne-Mo. His Case, as well as de Three victim-eyes Teachers’, Johnson’Bash’Daniel, rest wid de justice System. All unfair games will be played again.

Some ah de destruction dat took place when Santa Claws passed on Christmas Eve night could ah been avoided. All because we continue to disregard basic environmental rules: “Do not cut down de forests; trees and vegetation are vital foh our existence! Do not light fires in our forests! Remove and clear all logs and fallen trees that are near to streams! Do not dump waste, garbage, cans, plastics, ole stoves and fridges into de Rivers!” Squatting on River banks and beds is ah dangerous practice dat should stop! Yes, we empathize wid de poor people among us who in desperation resort to squatting, all wid good intentions, but settlements along river beds and banks is ah recipe foh disaster and death. Pole Yard is ah settlement dat sprang up overnight along de Arnos Vale River Reserve, adjacent to de E.T. Joshua Airport fence. Dis could be another disaster waiting to happen. But is nuff votes down dey. Dey give dem water, dey give dem lights, but dey do absolutely nothing along de banks to prevent floods.

We hearing de Milton Cato Hospital had serious flooding which reminds me of Hon. Daniel Cummings’ message in de House ah Par-liar-mint ah few years ago. Cummings, is first and foremost an Engineer, and he warned members on de Guv-ah-mint side dat if dey don’t attend to ah drainage problem, way water from de Montrose area is channeled along ah gutter thru de Hospital, dat ah Disaster is almost inevitable. He even gave professional add-vice how to divert de water and correct de situation dat would avert possible disaster. Nobody bother wid Cummings, and dat is why Milton Cato Hospital was ah serious casualty in de floods on Christmas Eve Night. And ah will bet dat nothing will be done to dat drain foh de next five years. May de good Lord bless and keep us.

QUALITIES OF AH KNIGHT

Ah would imagine dat Queen Elizabeth would want ah recipient of ah Knighthood to be first and foremost ah gentleman and ah gentle man! Yes, Betty would want to know dat dis individual is Honest, Faithful and Loyal to God and Country, as well as in love and marriage! And Betty will want to know dat he/she is an effective, behind de scene, nation and community builder! Above all Betty will want he/she to be Humble, tested and proven well behaved in Private and Public Office! Having said dat bit, ah want to assure Queen Elizabeth dat one Errol, Newton, Fitz-Rose Allen is an excellent choice for Knigthhood. Rise Sir Errol! Congratulations.

Ah have great respect foh all de persons who have received de Queen’s New Year Award. My “dear” friend Mona Dare, ah kind and one-dah-full soul who is yet to chose between Mike Findlay and myself (smile). Dey’s something about Come-mission-her Charles dat ah admire, his humility! He was at de Nine Mornings celebrations on Christmas Eve, standing in de rain, like Charlie Pride, decked in ah beeg Cowboy Hat (Meyican Sombrero). He sang well on stage; it was raining and de beeg hat mek ah couldn’t see his face; ah pity he didn’t sing Speedy Gonzales’ “De hat I got for Christmas is too beeg.” Good Job Charlo and Congrats on yuh Award. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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