We need ah Defense Force too

IS AH COUPLE AH THINGs ah want to touch. How sad to hear of de plight of some of our brothers and sisters from de Southern Grenadines, Union Island in particular.

Folks who exactly one year, two and ah half months ago, would have suffered from and left in shock wid great losses from Hurry-Cane Bearill, dat deadly “Category 4” destructive Tropical Cyclone dat flattened 149 houses on dat island. More dan half de population had to be evacuated, widout notice! Moved to mainland Sin-Vin-Sin or which ever near-barring island. Try imaging having to move out ah yuh home, scrambling wid only de clothes on yuh back, not even ah toothbrush.

So not only have dey been loss of building structures, but in many cases people would have lost everything. Dey are reports of folks in shelters and houses away from home, Depressed and battling wid loneliness.

Ley me go back to losing everything. Contents in de house: bed, stove, fridge, furniture, wares- down to pots, spoons and forks. It is mind boggling. We have ah couple church members from Union Island, de doh miss Fellowship, faithful Saints of God. Man is heart wrenching to hear some ah dey testimonies, and dey day to day trials living in shelter, or rented quarters.

Dey want to go home, but dey’s no home, and if and when ah house is ready, dey’s no furniture. Is not like going to ah furnished apartment, is ah empty house, capital “M”, capital “T” empty house.

Ah overs dat ah great deal of work was accomplished by ah 42 member team of de Guyana Defence Force, dey worked tirelessly, restoring public buildings, school, Police Headquarters and ah number of dwelling houses.

Guyana we thank you.

And rest assured dat in de struggle yuh are having wid Venezuela, while we want peace feh both sides, because we are one people, Venezuela under President Hugo Chávez had been ah great near-bah and friend in times of need. And when ever we say AIA, we should say RIP Hugo. But we are one wid Guy-Anna, be it Sports, Trade, Language, not de currency, not right now! Further more we are one in CARRY-COME which is Carry-Beyond our Community.

And Guy-Anna ah want to place on record ah extra special ThankYou foh opening we eyes wid your Nahshun-all De-Fence Force, de progressive arm of any Military Organ-I-say-sun, building house, fixing houses, road construction etc. Dis is exactly what de Doctor, as in Friday must order for our young people 18 years ole and over, and it should be compulsory.

All dem young super- hypa- energetic Policemen, who stabbing up dey former woman, beating and bussing up younger folks head who might ah run-ahfowl wid de Law on simple matters. Build more Trade Schools, offer compulsory two years full time training.

Teach dem to build from ah cradle to ah house to ah coffin. All dis talk bout Eddy- care-shun Rev-all-yuhshun way people going on scholarships to study. Wha dey home fee dem to do when dey get dis big BSc.

De way we were caught wid we pants down when Hurry-Cane Bear-ill struck, we had no young people in building construction, so we should learn our lessons. Young people anxious to do de Coast Guard Summer Programme, but who teaching dem to fish in de deep waters. We want ah De-fence Force tailored fee our needs. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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