Fare-Well- Me-Shell

Is about eighteen years ago, and ah remember my-wife-and-I responding to an ah-peel by Margaret London, Pop-yuh-Law talk show host of Nice Raid-yuh “Night Nurse”, Programme. She was asking foh help foh de late Me-shell Andrews, ah former female Police Officer, who on dat night, was stranded at de Police Head-quarters after doing ah night shift. Sad to say ah lot has already been said of Me-shell Andrews’ nightmare while on duty at de PM’s residence years ago. And as Lie-Za say: “ leave well alone.” Back to de story. Was close to mid-night when we met Me-shell outside de Stay-shun, scrunting ah ride to her home in de country-side, in Simon Village about 12 miles from Kingstown. Of course ah mek sure ah gave her ah kiss, in front me wife eh! Since den ah heard she was moving from Stay-shun to Stay-shun in particular de Grenadines. It was while having to do ah job in Bequia ah few years ago, ah realized dey might ah bin frick-shun between de parties involved on my job, so ah went to de Stay-shun seeking
Police protect-shun, just in case. When she saw me, she volunteered wid de permission of de Officer in charge, to accompany me. Everybody, everybody knew her or versa vice. She was quite professional in executing her duties, spoke to both parties, and den told me: “ Please go ahead and do your job Mr Alexander.”

Ah cherished those moments especially how ah knew ah bit more of her side of de story. And I pray dat our men in positions on these jobs respect our young women. May de Lord grant Me-shell eternal peace.

PUTTING TRUTH PON TRIAL

Is it not commendable dat in 1960 de construction of de E.T Joshua Airport was built under de supervision of Ronnie Smith, Superintendant of Public Works Department (PWD). He was ah young Engineer from Grenada. De Clerk of Works on de project was ah young man named Pittcan from St Lucia. And de local contractor, de actual building firmer was Francis “Red John” John from Belair. De story about “Red John” was dat he did not even complete Primary School. His first job was ah Labourer, patching pot holes on de public road. He got promoted from Labourer to Road Driver, in charge of his own Road Building Gang. And by de time dey were ready to build de Airport de contract was awarded to “Red John”. Ah remember ah story dat on receiving his first instalment on de Airport Contract, Red John celebrated ‘big time! He bought ah brand new motor car. Was lots ah cash in his pocket, and on pay-day it was normal foh Red John to drive up to Georgetown wid his workmen, buy ah bottle ah Rum have ah drink, den drive back to town. Wid Pittcan as his son-in-law, dey tied up ah great deal ah de Feeder Roads thru-out SVG.

Now what is baffling is dat de Argyle Airport (AIA)was built under de supervision of Cubans.

De AIA has been going well since it opened eight years ago, and from all indication de Cubans did ah very good job. Reports of some defects on de runway are being ah bit of ah challenge.

People who on de spot notice ah hush hush way dey authorities handling or mis-handling de matter. And its public dat Cuban technicians have been coming here since late last year, to investigate, and done some repair work. But dis is ah ULP, baby and nothing negative must be seen or said. Good or Bad, Truth is what matters. and when yuh read IWitnessNews (IWN) report on de story, and den listen to de PM’s counter or down-play in an NCB Go-venom mint Raid-yuh Stay-shun, it raises questions. Lie-Za say maybe somebody should whisper to de PM, dat quite often he has been failing de “True or False” test on just about everything he says. Wow!

She is now anxiously waiting to see his letter to US President Trump on de Mass Deportation Order. And wid dat is gone ah gone again

One Love Bassy.

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