Ah take pride in two aspects of our Vincy Culture, i.e. Christmas and Carnival, and would have served foh many years on Carnival and Nine Mornings Committees. Ah still love me carnival.

Ah remember my Grand-mother, ah real Born Again Christian, uses to question me: “what is dis about you and carnival?” and ah uses to tell her dat ah was ah Carnival Baby, conceived in February during de Carnival Season and was born in November ’41. She kept me out ah carnival all my youth. Could you picture back in 1956, Form 3 Grammar School boys, sitting in class next to Paddy Corea who along wid Brian Huggins, two young teenagers brought ah Mas Band
and won Band of de Year. Dat was History. But Granny said: “No way, Who-say!” Back in de village however, ah was bombarded wid Kaisonians, ole timers like Growler and Fatima, and later, new comers Mighty Sheller and Mighty Zoro. Sheller was brave, had ah good voice and wid only ah basic Primary School Eddy-care-shun, was ah talented song writer. He battled wid all de stars of de day: “Lord Hawke, Summers, Leader, Ringo et al.

So ah took in de Kaiso Finals last Sunday night and as was expected, Victoria Park was on fire from start to finish. Patrons witnessed de Power of de Voice of de Working Class thru Kaisos from Abijah, Zion I, Tajoe, Boney Man. De order of appearance blended well wid de songs.

Zion I dealt wid de “Hypocrites” in his Kaiso, spared no one or speared everyone. Abijah
literally covered in detail de 21 years of pull-it-to-kill misconduct by de present regime. Boney Man still agonizing over Way de Prime Money Dey? And Tajoe who has finally had enough of what is going on in his party, has volunteered his free service wid de devil as ah Hell Fire Worker, to deal wid all defaulters men-shun in “Zion I” and Abijah’s who would have earned dey rightful place in Hell Fire! Lie-Za said dat she was stage-side when Tajoe turned up de furnace in hell; she felt de heat, too much so she is going to turn her life over to Christ.

Carnival Heroes who need Recognition:

Let’s begin wid Mas Band-leaders, Melbourne Constance and Blondie Bird who between dem would have chalked up 100 years of Mas building and we talking Mas of Class! Come on CDC, give de men dey Due.

And Lia-Za and her New-hall of fame friend wants special men-shun be made of de Red Zone successes wid Tajoe Francis of Fancy, winning Kaiso King; Divine Walters, Junior Kaiso and Deano Nero, Junior Soca, both of Sandy Bay Primary (Red Zoners). Fireman Hooper won both Ragga and Power Soca, he is also Red Zoner. De Christopher family just keep reappearing. Man Kemmy ah former junior Kaiso Monarch is now Road March winner, and Kristian Christopher is Secondary Schools Monarch.

Oh yes, she desperately wants to know what position did de young Kaisonian, Boney Man placed in de Kaiso Finals, why all de silence in announcing de final positions of all eleven finalists.

Sometimes transparency inherits ah big question mark, when officials blunder and delay in correcting weaknesses in de system.

And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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