Ah not leaving sweet SVG

GHS Centennial Celebrations Committee scored again last Thursday night wid dey monthly lecture series. Guest speaker was Stacia Morris, a past student and Financial Expert based in de US. Unfortunately Fine-Ants and Eke-con-nah-mix is not my ting so ah could only comment on de presentation aspect which was captivating.{{more}} Stacy is ah La-you girl, from ah house ah Learning and Intelligence. Her Mom, Sister Morris was an outstanding member of dat noble Profession, Nursing, dah lily-white uniform stood foh purity, no pull-it-to-kill “Party Red” stains, dat is contributing to de ruin-nay-shun ah de Nursing Profession in SVG. And Stacy’s Dad, Stanley Morris was sum-ting else, fearless and outspoken! Undoubtedly one of the better Primary School Head-teachers dis country has produced, bearing in mind in his day, Administrators, Chief Ministers and Prime Ministers had to wipe dey own back-side, shine and lick dey own boots; unlike today, and ah mek no apology, dat de sanctity of de teaching profession has been desecrated by members who will stoop to de lowest level, and surrender dey man and woman-hood to pull-it-to-kill directorates foh ah promotion.

Stacy’s topic might not ah bin de best choice at dis time and point. Our young people need to hear dat dis region, of which SVG is ah member, has de potential to deliver its people. We must read and read again, de lecture series “Is de West Indies West Indian” by Sir Ramphal, dat is published weekly by Searchlight. Sir Ramphal writes like ah man wid ah broken spirit, he bemoans de demise of de vision foh dis region dat was charted by of our founding fathers Maryshaw, CLR and others. He reminds of de period when our island chain commanded international recognition as ah small but unified force. Dat’s all thrown outside like de proverbial “bath water wid de baby” while Modern leaders of today, disillusioned, trying desperately to reinvent de wheel to produce ah new Carry-beyon Civil-lies-I say-shun. While ah have no problem wid Stacy’s add-vice to greener pasture seekers, our people in de brain-piped our best resources, to head East or South, she hinted all roads lead to BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China). But de Caribbean has been and still remains ah gold mine, ah far-reign-has paradise from way back in de days ah Columbus, Drakes, Hawkins. Dey still come, but as tourists, bringing back what dey stole from us, why? because we still produce de best Rum, most wholesome and healthy (3F’s) :Food, Fish and Fruits (bananas); we still have de best climate and beaches dat we continue to neglect. But we are failing every day to capitalize on what we have. Make de Caribbean ah heaven not only foh ah short vacation, but de place to reside and invest. And those who get an opportunity to go abroad and study, select relevant courses, and when yuh return get cracking and put some temperature in dem Degrees; form business groupings among we-selves and invest at home. Why must I go to Jaw-pan or wear ah Bra-seal to mek ah living, I beg to disagree wid Stacy, ah not leaving Sweet SVG!

REVOKE OR IS IT DISCONTINUE

Is Black His-story Month so ah Revoking skin colour and size out ah de Bigger Big issue (de struggles ah de Lickle Black Man) ; except to say dat ah wonder if de Minister use de correctly word when he quoted from Section 30 of de Planning Act, as his authority to instruct Planning Board to REVOKE permission foh Bigger Big to mine at Rabbacca. Ah got Lie-Za to check Section 30 of the Act, and she say dat no way in dat section is de word “REVOKE” mentioned. My question is, how can yuh now “REVOKE” ah permission dat was granted to de Company to set up and begin operations within two years, he dey dey now three years, during which time Bigger Big had completed and met all de requirements laid down by de Board. If he violates, de Board can serve notice to DISCONTINUE operations as stated in Section 21, which is more humane and gives Bigger Big an opportunity to put up ah fight. But Minister B, dat word “Revoke” is ah mistake. All ah ask Lie-Za to do was read up ah Section, she now asking how come other companies posing threats to de environment and de Minister ain’t doing nothing bout dat. BRAGSTA mining sand along de Lady Jane River-bed too; hotels dumping waste water into de sea way people bathing; ah Hotel in Bequia put up gate blocking out road to de beach, confiscate over 30 thousand square feet ah road worth over ah million dollars; de river at Buccama has been interrupted and de Tri Tri fishing gone thru, way is Minister B and his Section 30. Lie-Za asking if is de colour ah yuh skin or de colour ah yuh T-shirt is what counts. In Bigger Big’s case is de colour ah his mouth. Talk dah reach Cabinet is dat Bigger Big made ah joke during de last elections say dat when NDP wins, he buying over all de heavy equipment at de Argyle Airport. Dat might ah bin ah Joke foh Bigger Big but not foh Ralph. Reminds me when Crapoo did decide to inflate he-self to look likede ah football, to jump around and frighten de school pick-me dem, dey thought he was Joking and didn’t forget to plant some kicks in his tail. Deflated and bruised, groaning, Mo-mah Crapoo ask way wrong. He replied” “what is joke foh school pick-me is death foh me Crapoo”. Bigger Big got size to tek kicks, not me, me small, Smaller Small. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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