Long live Bayliss, Sip and Arn-im

My daughter informed me dat she was going to ah Surprise Birthday Party foh one of her senior colleagues who was celebrating his 99th. She was full-ah-stories and anecdotes when she returned; she was obviously entertained by none other dan de great Bayliss Frederick.

“Did Bayliss tell you-all about his encounter wid Justice Taylor an ole Bajan Judge?” I asked. “Oh yes dat was de funniest of dem all!” She relied. De story is dat Bayliss was deliberately beating about the bush wid his summation, frustrating de ole Judge who had heard enough and grown tired. He told Counsel: “ Mr Fredericks, everything you have just said , went thru my left ear and exited thru my right ear!” Court House went up in silent uproar. Taylor picked on de wrong man and on de wrong day. Caught wid surprise, Bayliss hit back. Replying to de Judge he said: “Me Lud (lord) dat’s exactly what we who are sitting here are saying. Dey’s nothing between de two ears to detain or stop anything I have said from exiting freely!” I am ah lickle late wid my 99 th birthday wishes but come next year God’s willing, when Bayliss attains de Ole Lady, ah will be early.

AND DEY’S SIP NEHALL now living overtime (3 score +10) since last Thursday. He is nothing like Lawrence, his conservative elder brother, my classmate back in de 1950s. But Sip is different, can’t fault his Mom foh trying; his dad Bertie maybe, he was born ah St Mary’s Altar Boy, later Mr Carnival way he made ah significant contribution to de Art Form. But before all ah dat, Sip started school at St Joseph’s Convent, yes at Convent; but dat didn’t mek ah difference, not when mischievous youths like Paul Mc Leish et al had already cast de mould. Ah Caribbean Man who served in de region, as ah social worker in de early days of de Caribbean Conference of Churches (CCC), and as ah teacher, his students speak highly of his Tutorship/Mentorship at St Martins Secondary. Presently he is chilling writing some bold and biting editorials at de Vincentian, SVG’s oldest Newspaper.

AND HONOURABLE ARM-IN EUSTACE. Last but by no means Least, in fact way out Front, celebrated his 79 th Big Day yesterday Thursday. Lie-Za was thinking out loud and ah overheard her saying, Eustace as ah public servant was stainless. As Permanent Secretary, he was pressured by his Minister to withdraw ah Court Case against ah Businessman and Party Supporter foh breaking de law; Eustace refused to comply and walked off de job!

Eustace as ah Politician, Minister and Prime Minister bordered being unblemished. She recalls under de NDP, when Crime was beginning to spread its ugly head; de Awe-position Leader who today is Prime Minister, had clearly identified Sir James and Commissioner Toussaunt as being fully responsible foh de Violence and Crime in de society. He was adamant in ah promise to be tough on Crime. Ah deceased minister of de ULP, was so obsessed wid getting into Power threateningly promised to make de country SVG, un-governable!”

Today as we reflect on Eustace’s Vision den, foh Peace and de Fight against Crime and Violence, very simple and Christlike he asked foh: “Ah Kinder, Gentler Society!” Oh what ah tangled web dey weaved. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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