Still No Statue of De Nah-shun-all Hero

Some-where in one ah Doc Adrian Fraser’s His-story novels, ah read dat as ah result of ah major push, led by the National Youth Council (NYC), of St Vincent and the Grenadines and other progressive groups, dat National Hero, the Right Excellent Paramount Chief, Joseph Chatoyer became the nation’s first National Hero on March 14, 2002.

But de Obelisk (Memorial of Chatoyer) was initially created by de NYC back in 1980, on land at Dorsetshire Hill, provided by the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, specifically to commemorate the life and passing of Paramount Chief Chatoyer.

Dis Hysterical Project however, was completed in 1985, one year after de NDP Administration took office. De Hon John Horne (Fee Dem) was den Culture Minister, and in keeping wid de progressive initiative of de NYC, officially declared March 14th Nah-shun-all Heroes Day. Sixteen years later, in 2001 just before being kicked out ah office, de said NDP went ahead and declared dat de next year, March 14th 2002, Nah-shun-all Heroes Day would be a public holiday.

According to de exuberant Lie-Za, NDP had done all de ground wuk and had Doc-yuh-mints in place for de official select-shun of Chatoyer as Nah-shun-all Hero. Pryme Minister Gone-Soft wasted no time in appointing ah Nah-shun-all Heroes Selection Committee. De committee met foh an hour, and approved de solitary nomination of Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer as St Vincent and the Grenadines’ First National Hero . Dat date is celebrated annually as a public holiday- National Heroes Day.

That was twenty years ago, and every year since, there has been ah pilgrimage to dis treasured site foh ah wreath laying ceremony to commemorate de death of SVG’s first and only National Hero. Lie-Za keep asking why must it always be ah wreath (dead plant) laying, would not ah small beautiful, live and flowering plant in ah pot suggest ah celebration of life foh which Chatoyer fought. Lie-Za also believes dat Chatoyer would much prefer ah building in his neglected Indigenous Carib/Garifuna/Calinago Community. Ah structure with similar purpose and function as de Peace Memorial Hall that was built in honour of Vin-sent-shun soldiers (victims), who died in World War II.

Ah asked Le-Za if she felt proud and tall when she saw de UN Secretary General António Guterres, taking time out from his Be-Zee SLACK Con-frenz, to visit de Indigenous people of de Red Zone, way de Navel String of our First Nah-shun-all Hero, Chatoyer was buried. Is de first time ah ever see Lie-Za emotional to tears.

“Proud and Tall?” she asked. “Two hundred and thirty years after all dat Joseph Chatoyer died (ambushed) fighting- de further yuh travel de worse it gets!” Not even ah Memorial, ah STATUE or sign saying: “Welcome to de Humble Home of our First National Hero!”

She handed me two clippings from Searchlight articles. De first one in 2006 states: “ This country’s leader has called for the Annual Chatoyer Wreath-Laying ceremony to be given prominence and a status similar or superior to that of the Miss SVG or the Miss Carnival Pageants.” And de second clipping is from Searchlight March 2019, five years ago, when Minister Gumry Daniel was speaking at the annual wreath laying ceremony held on National Heroes’ Day, March 14th quote: “ In memory of the Chief (Chatoyer), the Ministry of Tourism and Culture will in 2019, begin the work on “structures, including a STATUE of the Paramount Chief this year.” Ole people say: “Fool ah Talk but nah Fool ah Listen!” And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy.

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