We have a long way to go

Ah doh think we could repeat or remind ourselves often enuff dat Violence in any form, whether against woe-man, man, children, leaders of yuh church, community or country, must be dealt with sternly.

Lie-Za who is trained insists dat when we start to physically damage our politicians in particular our Prime Minster Gonsalves, we have a long way to go. Beginning in de homes. She thinks dat de time and place to arrest violence is now and in homes where it is widely germinated and covered up.

Now when it comes to people who are blessed wid enlarged territory, leaders who become entrusted wid de authority to run ah country, there seem to be a pattern of leadership. Brilliant, can’t ask foh better in de beginning, Midway it’s all about me, myself and I alone; and in de Autumn of dey tenure, wid de fear of pull-it-tek all death, dey resort to might and power.

Dey should be ah lickle hand-book called “No Bills after yuh first term” foh Prime Ministers of SVG. Our very first Prime Minister, Milton Cato felt that there was too much “liberty of speech and expression,” so hurry-hurry, he brought ah “Dread Bill” that sent the masses protesting all over the town. He had to withdraw de “Dread Bill” and so also did he and his noble party from office. Cato was succeeded by Sir James Mitchell whose Go-venom-mint at one time had no opposition (15-nil) felt that some ah his Faith-full /Loyalists needed to be rewarded wid pen-shun and Gratuity, so he brought ah “Greedy Bill” dat sent de Masses back on de streets in protest all over town;

Mitchell read de mood of de angry crowd, and immediately shelved de Greedy Bill and peacefully surrendered Power to Gonsalves.

Gonsalves by and large was weathering de storm but when COVID 19 struck, followed by de Volcanic eruption, plus trying his best to protect his un-blame-ish Par-liar-mint record from juvenile misconduct, things began to turn sour. What is missing in SVG is ah lack of leadership among heads of powerful Organ-I-say-shun. It shameful how Leaders surrender dey authority to de Prime Minister, never in rebuke of anything he says or does wrong. Some ah dem should be seeing in dey sleep de horrible sight of “ de Prime Minister’s Blood” on de consciences. Compare how we hurry-hurry, set up all night in Par-liar-mint till 3: 00 a.m on Friday morning, (Prime Minister in shock and Pain) just to pass de Public Amendment Bill making it “Man-dah-tore-we” foh front line workers to tek de Jab, de anti-COVID19 Vaccine.

While our Carry-Come counterparts are taking much needed precaution, wait-‘n’ see before making such an unconstitutional move. Not ah man Jack was able to wisper in de ears of de PM and his minority Go-venom-mint, dat de Masses have been on de streets in de hot sun all day beating War Drums, so dey must postpone Par-liar-mint.

Nobody seriously expected Ralph to step down, but at least show some respect for people’s Rights and go back to de drawing board and wait until dey are less unanswered questions about de Vaccine. Our PM made a massive error in judgement when he put his trust in his police and defied de crowd. Credit must be given to de Deputy PM, Montgomery Daniel for disallowing the PM from walking through the protest a second time. Like De Psalmist David wrote : “The king is not saved by the multitude of a force. A mighty man is not delivered, by abundance of power.” Remember God holds all power! And wid dat is gone ah gone again

One Love Bassy

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