De great King Solomon in his wisdom concluded dat: “To everything there is a Season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” And he goes on wid de Times: “Time to Plant, Time to Reap; Time to Win, Time to Lose; Time to Study; Time to Graduate!” Last week Thursday was like ah Graduation in de High Court, ah Bar Call, four young ladies and ah young man were officially and legally sworn to practice Law in SVG. Ah lot ah swollen Nose in Courts as most of de parents and well-wishers present had to remove dey ‘KOVID 19’ mask. No Masks could ah keep dem Noses from swelling.

Solomon would have said “Time to Pay Tuition Fees, and Time to be Called to de Bar! Truly ah Rewarding Day foh all five families as our daughters and son were inducted into one ah de Noblest and most Respected professions. De new Counsels would have spent de last five years studying Law between UWI Cave Hill Campus in Bo-bathe-us, and Sir Hugh Wooding Law School in T’n’T. Dat was like ah Bank Breaker: “Five years ah House Rent! Five years ah Tea, Brek-fuss and Dinner! Five years ah Dis, Five ah Dat; even Five years ah home coming foh Christmas and back, in short whatever was needed to mek life as comfortable as we could have afforded.

And so we give thanks to de All-Mighty God and de proverbial “Villagers” in B’dos, T’n’T and SVG; I am gratefully borrowing de African Proverb’: “Oran a azu nwa” meaning of course “It takes a village to raise a child!”   

Ah remember in 1996 when eight young Vincentians (de Eight Army) were similarly sworn into de Hall of Fame. Dat list included de Robertson sisters, Samantha and Sandra; Colin Williams; Coleen Mc Donald; Zinga Horne; Andrea and Sonya Young and Ms Lewis (Genita’s daughter). Dat historical event went Hysterical among ‘Nay sayers’ of de day: “way we going wid all dem Lawyers?” Lie-Za was upset and straight away she presumptuously predicted what was going to happen to all eight ah dem young Lawyers. In addition to dey Private Practice, she said one will be ah Judge, one an Attorney General, one ah DPP, ah Mad-is-straight, ah Family Court President, ah Registrar. Happy to say dat wid de exception of none becoming Attorney General as yet, Lie-Za’s predict-shun was on target. In fact two have become Judges.

So dey’s hope and Wuk foh our beloved sons and daughters. Our prayer is dat dey will at all times, be guided by good Christian Principles and Practices. Work Hard, Diligent and be Honest at all times.

OBEY DE COVID 19 PROTOCOL

Nine Mornings starts next week and even at dis very last moment, ah want to appeal to de Hell’t Officials here in SVG to revist de USA way de COVID 19 Virus still spreading like wild fire. It is now evident dat 99 percent of de COVID-19 cases in SVG were imported, people coming here from overseas. More are expected home for Christmas, and it is not malicious to say dat many will test positive. People will try to break de Rules, why not?: “It’s Nine Mornings!” Lie-Za is insisting dat while de Theme foh dis year is “Keeping the Christmas Spirit Alive” in 2020. Dey should be ah corollary another slogan: “Dis Nine Mornings, Wear yuh Mask! Avoid Crowds! Keep yuh distance! Wash yuh Hands!”

She is on Dr Thompson’s case, ah think she loves him. She wants him foh her minister of Prop-ah-gander, and Mighty Explainer. And while she waiting on de Vaccine yet to come. he must stick to his first add-vice from early o-clock: “de Gospel according to COVID-19 Protocal. Masks, distance, wash hands.” And wid dat is gone ah gone again

One Love Bassy

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