From Milking cows to Building Cars

Wow!. Ah doh want to impress or sound sensational, but space will have to allow me to say ah few words on behalf of dis “Giant of ah Man.” Personally ah think Dennis’ story is ah good “Rag to Riches” Thriller, excellent material foh ah documentary. His journey to success could very well serve as an inspiration to youngsters experiencing tuff times, and who might think dat dey’s no hope foh ah better future.

Dennis had about 16 siblings between his Mom’s household separate from his Dad’s. So he was rescued and raised by his paternal aunty and grand-father,Charles “Pappy” Joyette, incidentally his hero. He was ah few years my senior and he taught me how to climb mango, guava and coconut tree, and all ah we how to swim. Ah confident youth man, bordering braggart, who dared to demonstrate how to walk across ah mango tree limb in de rain widout holding onto any branch. Needless to say he slipped, fell and broke his hand. Not ah man dare to laugh at dat bully.

At about age 12 his chores-more like slave task- included walking every morning, rain or shine, from Murray Village to Sion Hill Bay at 5: 00 a.m. to cut grass and milk cows, and get back in time foh school. Dat was way too much for de lickle fellar, so he switched residence to live in Sion Hill wid another paternal Aunt who had cows as well. We missed him from de village and from school, but de chores were too much foh de youngster. He dropped out of Primary School at around Grade 3, and at about age 15 when de Primary School age expires, he returned to Murray Village to run ah traditional family village shop dat sold de best mauby, pudding and docouna. But by den he was smart enough to know dat he must rebel and go looking for ah trade of his choice- Motor mechanic or Body works Apprentice.

Having bin accustomed to hard wuk, he performed well and pleased his boss. He bought bits and pieces of tools and one afternoon, somebody delivered an ole beat-up Morris Mini car wid an engine, wheels, de body was ah write off. Now dey was way his skills came into play. We all chipped in wid sanding doors, under de supervision of Dennis. He sprayed it in black, and one evening about eight of us piled into dat unlicensed vehicle, and he drove thru de village. De lickle boy who had to leave school to go mind cows, was de first among us to own ah car. Space does not permit me to say more, but de rest is His-story.

May Dennis Rest in Peace.

Vulgarity De Hottest Carnival

Before ah forget, let me lodge Lie-Za’s come-plain to CDC. After Go-venom-mint would have given de CDC two million dollars (was it more or less) of Tax Payers money to run Carnival our Premier Nah-shun-all Festival, why were de same Tax Payers not given de coat-to-see live TV broadcast of de two biggest nights of Calypso Finals , Sat-dey and Sun-dey?

Already ah hearing talks about de great success of Carnival 2025. Isn’t it early yet. Does CDC even know roughly what sort of entrance money was collected in 2025. Yet dey talking plans foh Carnival 2026.

What bout plans for de next big occasion, August 1st, de anniversary of E-man-say-pay-shun and its partner in crime? Rape-ah-Race-shun. Is de Min of Culture in all ah dis, or dis is all CDC baby?

Quickly ah begging band leaders, costume designers and our treasured young, burl,y and small women, to tone down, change course ah bit and return to Vincy Traditional Mas costuming. Ah feel shame and turned off me TV, when ah see way Vincy Mas come to. All dis revelling wid our young, beautiful looking females stripping vulgar-race-ugly exposing dey bare batty, wine-ing up foh de spectators and de cameras and yuh want to tell me dat is what we have to offer as de Hottest Carnival. No way Who say!

And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy