All my years growing up ah always thought dat de quotation:” Order is Heaven’s First Law” came straight and direct from de Bible. Order might not be de First Law of Heaven, but in fact; Obedience, its flip-side and cornerstone upon which all Righteousness rests, is Heaven’s First Law. And Heaven as all (US) believers know, is de place way God and His angels live in Peace and Harmony. Yes dey’s no Peace widout Harmony and versa visa. Music widout good Harmony is noise, but my girl Lie-Za has ah better definition of Harmony, she says “b Dat’s when two people live to-get-her and doh fight.” Ah not touching dat, dat is foh de Peace-makers.

But right now ah standing outside three Supermarkets at de same time, Massy’s in Arnos Vale, Greaves on Bay Street and Bonadie’s on Egmont Street. All three have had to contend wid Street Vendors, not Massy’s anymore. De police under Orders and wid Obedience went at Massy’s Arnos Vale, “In de Still of de Night” (remember dat 1956 Song by de Satins) and dem Babylon completely destroyed every stall, seized all dem poor vendors produce and left 20 plus vendor’s devastated, literally reducing dem stalls into fire wood to roast breadfruit. Same thing dey did wid de Marry Warner Rasta farmers in de mountain; remember what de Boss said: “pursue dem until dey exist no more.” Same way dey Kick de local farmers off de agricultural lands at Richmond Vale, mek room foh Stone Crusher . Is Eye-run-ache dat in all dis bullying and man-handling, locals have had to give way to Far-rainers.

Now my question is where is SVG’S Coat of Arms: Pax et Justitia (Peace and Justice), Love and Harmony in our Rule of Law. Where are de provisions for ‘Order and Obedience. Where is de “New Mercies I seek” in Lamentations Chap 3, ah verse which de Prime Minister conveniently uses every time he gets to address Believers, he even has his own die-version: “Morning by morning New Mercies I seek, all dat I have Thy Hands have provided. Great is Thy Faithfulness?” Lie-Za say she will not support Law-Less-Ness, but our Vendors deserve better treatment. Two years ago dey were given notice to leave Massy’ side-walks. Certainly ah long strip of land, inside de road along de E.T, Joshua Tarmac, could have been allocated for Vegetable, Fish and poultry Vendors, for ah Flea Market, de proper name is an Outdoor Bazaar.

Please ley we leave de Fleas already occupying de temporary Secondary Schools down dey in peace. On dat site, Construct small, attractively designed stalls, paved walk-ways, lights, wash-room and parking. Operate ah tight security, yes find something less in-neck-wid-us foh de police to do. In de meantime we calling on Go-venom-mint to apologize to de Vendors, who seriously care foh dey family and Sin-vin-sin. Dey want to be ah a part of “We out to build ah New Sin-Vin-Sin.” Den pay dem adequate compensation. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.
One Love Bassy

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