Over My Dead Body

Nah-shun-all He-rose month is over, ah bet nothing will be said or heard about dat subject till next year March when dat or he-rose again. Ah was telling Lie-Za dat last Sunday I arrived very early at Here-it-age Square, to ah Fan-tom meeting of aspiring Nah-shun-all he-rose.
SVG’s First Premier and PM, de late Milton Cato arrived in his car after me; Doc J.P Eustace, wid his Bible in hand, came on foot from his ole Intermediate High School nearby. Pappy Joshua and Pappa Mc Intosh entered de Square from Penny Bank corner on Bay Street. Both Josh and Mc Intosh apologized foh being late and presented an apology from the Right Excellent Joseph Chatoyer. Joshua reported dat Chatoyer was tired, had not slept foh two straight nights, he had kept “ah Vigil” in de police station on a bench, de bed of ah young man who was detained wrongfully, (beyond de 48 hours widout bail) held in custody “for using seditious words.” According to Pappy Josh, Chatoyer’s direct words were: “Sedition or Treason, dey can call it what dey want, but I refuse to be called ‘SVG’s Nah-shun-all Hero’, and sit idly by, while an ain-no-saint young man, ah man of my own heart, is being victim-eyes, like Mc Intosh was charged foh Treason (punishable by death) in 1935, and Joshua foh Public Mischief, ah case he subsequently won at Privy Council in 1956. So too were Yvonne Francis and Mike Browne in 1975; dey were all charged foh standing-up against de same Colonial Oppressive Laws, but later defeated ‘de Powers that be’ in Courts. Shamefully however, dey all became Law-makers, yet dey did absolutely nothing about those Draconian Laws that are still on de Law Books, sitting dey to be applied at de convenience, de whims and fancies of successive sorry, suppressive regimes, and used to hush-up ‘de brave ones among us’ who dare to stand up in defiance of Injustice, Crime and Corruption in dis Blessed land.”

Same time Pappa Mac said, “ May I ask who is in charge of dis Blessed Land of ours now?” And foh de first time Cato joined de conversation and addressed the others: “ George and Doc JP my mentors, Comrad Josh my Primary school Teacher at Dorsetshire Hill, where every year a mock ceremony is held for Joseph; I humbly apologize as I hold myself to blame for all injustices meted out to Yvonne Francis, Mike Browne and the teachers back in 1975, but I will not forgive Vincent foh ah mon-yuh-men-tell and pull-it-to-kill miss-marriage he consummated in de name of Labour Love!” Den Cato turned towards McIntosh and said: “ George, now dat you want to know who is in Power, well he has been there for 21 years and is now seized wid de thoughts of a Die-nasty in mind, he has already plotted de Road Map for and easy transition of Power to his son. He happens to be de man who published dat booklet, giving de full detail of your Trial For Treason in de 1935 Riots. And interestingly he is de same man who is kindly pushing foh you George, you Josh, and you Doc and even unworthy me to be de next Nah-shun-all He-rose.” Well, dead or alive, ah never, ever hear four dead men sing in harmony. It was like One, Two! Three and together, dey pointed dey index finger towards dey chest’ and voices in unison, dey said: “ He recommending me foh Nah-shun-all He-row? Over my dead body!” And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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