Ah would love to remember OT as ah Master Builder, ah Nay-shun Builder! He built just about any and everything dat could be made from wood, from ah Crib to ah House to ah piece of Underground Furniture, his name foh ah Coffin! Way back in 1979, Sis Ivy, principal of St Mary’s RC School casually men-shunned to OT, about ah Cry-Sis situation she had, trying to find Class-Rooms for her Common Entrance/ CPEA students.

In parting OT promised Sis Ivy to see what he could do. He came back ah week after, invited Sis Ivy over to de first floor of his Finishing and Furnishing Retail Building, located immediately Opposite de RC School on North River Road. Surprise!! OT presented de Dear Nun wid de keys for a Total Package of three class-rooms complete with toilets, black-board, desks and chairs for 90 students and teachers, Rent, Water and Electricity Free! In 2012, fifteen years later, de nearby Charles Verbeke Centre RC building became vacant and reluctantly Sis Ivy gave up her luxurious classrooms. No sooner the Catholics moved out, OT gave de premises to another Church Group. But in 2014 fire destroyed de Verbeke Centre, leaving Sis Ivy and her students literally stranded on de street. Immediately OT found another site for de folks previously occupying de building and handed Sis Ivy de keys foh ah second time. Same total package, 7 years have passed and de RC Students are still in de building. OT we thank yuh for helping our children, my children at St Mary’s.

WE LOST AH ROLE MODEL

De Oniko (Niko) I want to remember at de Gospel Hall Assembly in Mespo, is ah very humble and energetic youth-man. Ah young believer who found himself in church wid his parents Rhona and Oswald, and sister Roika every Sunday. One could not fault ‘Niko where participation is concerned; whether is Youth or Senior Choir, or Short Play, ‘Niko would be somewhere on de stage. In drama I particularly looked forward to see ‘Niko de impersonator in de Skits, until someone sitting behind whispered to me: “ your friend Oniko fixing yuh up on stage!”

It was heart breaking two Sat-days ago, when my wife came off de phone and said: ”we have sad news, our ‘boy’ Oniko died dis morning.” Wid de sudden passing of Oniko, de community and by extension de Church family at Mespo Gospel Hall, is left short of ah good Role Model. We give thanks to de Almighty for his short but spiritually enriched life. Rest peacefully Niko.

SIN VIN-SIN NAH VOTE

As the world kept calling out atrocities committed by de Russians in de Ukraine, de United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted a resolution calling for Russia to be suspended from de Council. Russian troops are still being accused of torturing, robbing, raping, killing thousands of peaceful residents in dozens of Ukrainian cities and villages. President Zelensky of de Ukraine, described the aftermath, which he saw firsthand, as a Genocide! We in de Carry-Beyond are well aware of dat term Genocide. Actually SVG is seeking Reparation for Brutality and Atrocities during slavery, also Reparation foh Genocide against de thousands of our Ancestors, who were exiled to Central America, and in de process died from condition on the island of Balliceaux while waiting to be shipped away in 1797. Interestingly when dat UN Resolution to remove Russia from de Human Rights Council was passed, 93 countries were in favour, Sin-Vin-Sin Nah Vote we abstained; 24 voted against and 58 abstentions. Carry-Come countries were very divided among themselves. Among de 58 who “abstained” “Neither For, Nor Against” are: “Bo-bid-us, Sin-Vin -Sin of course; Sin Kitts, T’n’T and Guyana. Lie-Za was quick to ask me if we could expect ah “Neither For, Nor Against” at de UNHRC when SVG is being asked to vote foh Resolution No 13 “Reparations foh Genocide against SVG Ancestors in 1797.” Ley we do some serious Reflect-shun dis Easter. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.
One Love Bassy

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