Lie-za needs ah Bills Board

In de days when ads were like slice bread, dey was no Radio or TV Ads; not even Front Page and Centre Page ads in newspapers were in style; doh even men-shun social Me-dey-yah, Face Book, In-star-gram whatever.

Possibly de only and most effective Advertising Medium back den was de original Bill Board. Movies were displayed on large 4 ft by 8 ft Bill Boards leaned up along de Court House fence on Back Street. And dey were ah few loud mouth characters roundsing Kingstown, carrying in one hand, ah small Black Board (2 ft. by 3 ft dimensions) and a bell in de other. No megaphone or bull horn. But from de time yuh hear dat bell, yuh listen out foh who having sale. Clearance or auction, de place, time and item. Lie-Za feels we need de return of those Bill Boards, dey would mek fee good Polly-Ticks. She doh mind if or when ah pull-it-tek-all party put up ah Bill Board 12 feet high and 20 feet wide, wid photos of its full slate (15) candidates, and of course de self-proclaimed World Boss leader’s picture at de top.

But she also feels dat after an Elect-shun it becomes like ah punishment, having dat same original Bill Board on dis-play for de last (10-15 years), steering at yuh morning noon and night like if it is part of our landscape. She could not be bothered if and when dem kind ah Bill Boards are vandal-lies and even set on Fire.

So what does she suggest.After Elect-shuns, dey should be Bills Board, displaying important news especially Bills passed in Par-liar-mint affecting people’s every day living. De first Bill on her Board would be de High Court ruling dat the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Government acted illegally in 2021 when it dismissed public sector workers who did not obey its order to take COVID-19 vaccine.

She would next put up on her Bills Board all available photos of those Front Line Workers out ah wuk, widout salaries foh de last two years. With regards to de current controversial Bill Board put up by de NDP, seeing is believing so she wouldn’t just put up ah board saying 52 or 55 Homocides in SVG foh de year 2023. She was posting three Bill Boards wid large photos of all dem youths allegedly Homocides.

Ah asked her about de Vinlec Bill wid Fuel Charge dat continues foh years to exceed de actual cost of current burnt. Dat Vinlec Bill will come after she gets photos of de contract wid de quarry signed in 2022 which is or was to be operated by the Rayneau group of companies out of St Lucia and has not seen a single stone mined and aggregate exported.

And den she said she wants de Lyrics of Kaisonian Abijah 2024 song “Pyrates of de Caribbean,” to put up ah Bill Board at Wallilabou Bay showing where the first movie of the Pirates of the Caribbean series was filmed.

Den ah asked her what about if her Bills Boards get destroyed, she said de more Bill Boards dey destroy, de more Bill Boards dey to come. She wants her own Bills Board. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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