Play Wid Fire Yuh Get Burn

LIE-ZA CALL ME pan-aching saying she remember late last year we were Officially told dat Vincy Mas will be packed into two weekends this year, with scaled down Vax-inated Events; dat’s unless 70 percent of de eligible population becomes vax-inated against COVID 19. De Brighter but unrealistic

side is if we meet dat 70 percent target by March/ April dat ended last month, den de Cultural Festival will be held in its Full Unimaginable Scale.

Since dat release she has not heard any news whatso- ever about de Vax-inated numbers, in fact after two years of intensive Calm Pain begging people to take de Vax; it’s like an Aunty-Climax, No more gingles, no more appeals!

No more announcement!

She was expecting even as ah promotion by CDC, we would ah bin hearing Kaisos begging people to: “Fully Vax-inate den Fully Participate!” followed by “ Wear ah Mas’ N’ Play Vincy Mas.” Lie-Za’s question is:” Not reached de 70 percent target, are we still having ah Full scale Vincy Mas?”. Ah think we playing with Fire and only de people will get Burn!

BEL-EYE ACADEMY

Last week ah forgot to men-shun dat ah actually visited Bel-Eye Campus, to look for Kenny my Godson serving 38 months foh possession of ah Gun. Ah done place his case at de feet of de Mercy Committee. Lie-Za say place it “At Papa’s Feet!” My visit to de Bel-Eye facility was an eye opener. Ah was only allowed to see from de corner of me eye, and it was Bel (beautiful), as in Bel-Eye. At de gate ah was cleared by female officer Brown, ah lovely sister, and bro. De Freitas who demonstrated nothing but professional-is-him.

As ah braced or graced de compound, ah felt like ah was entering ah college or university campus: “boundaries enclosed, de grounds and lawn were taintless and clean; paved walkway to de buildings or faculties dat appeared to be in excellent maintenance. While being escorted, ah walked past ah Faculty where ah class of about forty undergraduates, decked in dey ‘orange coloured faculty uniform’ was in session.

Seems like dey were lectured in something electrical. Ah very disciplined “looking” class, under manners of course; all heads facing de black board, but de corner of those “Bel-Eyes” young men had me covered.

De conversation between my Godson and me is con-free-den-tell, of course everything said was overheard by an officer and presumably taped.

After ten months he is in good spirit, either Ralph and not I should ah bin his God-father, or he should ah bin ah resident of North Central Windward Constituency. But he is multi-talented, skilled in carpentry, masonry, welding, he gets to put his skills to work, and dat helps. He misses his freedom and his two sons, one is completing his first year at secondary school, de second son just wrote CPEA.

Ah was allowed to speak to de Superintendent Bailey of Bailey’s Irish Cream fame. We share de same Irish white-man Greatgrand- father. So ah would expect VIP treatment if ever dey decide to sign me up foh ah Short Course.

But ah was saddened and gladdened when ah saw de youngsters seated studiously in ah classroom. If only our lickle community was exposed to ah less Hurry! Hurry! Eddycare- shun Rev-all-yuhshun, way those young men would have had no choice but to be in school, learning de 3R’s (Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmatic), ah language ah Trade. Music, Drama and Religious Studies. In de meantime Lie-Za is suggesting dat de Bel-Eye Facility be quickly upgraded to an Academy; and remove dat stigmatic name from Belisle Prisons to Bel-Eye Campus! And wid dat is gone ah gone again. One Love Bassy

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