De Lord answers prayers

Six deaths within three weeks, four by de bullet and two by de sword. Lie-Za say some ah de killings were executions and not murder as dey say. Ah want to touch on de demise ah Anthony “Scarface” Hamilton.

Dis is ah neglected young man who would have lost his way many years ago. He was recently released after spending de last sixteen years in Prison foh raping ah middle aged woman. We will not want to revisit dat horrible incident way de victim was traumatized and brutalized by “Scarface” foh several hours.{{more}} No sooner was he out ah Prison, he was back in Court in connection wid ah robbery, ah few weeks later, he was shot and killed by Police in de Court House.

Dis raises one question, is dey any sort ah rehab program foh Prisoners in SVG. How do we explain de “Scarface” episode, here’s ah young man imprisoned foh 16 years and allowed to leave de institution wid nothing but venom and vengeance in his heart foh innocent people.

Wid all due respect, de Prison Authority did try to have “Scarface” detained in Prison foh ah while longer. Before his release, dey had him before de Courts foh threats he was supposed to have made on de lives ah de PM and others whenever he was released. De Officers bungled in dey statements and de case was dismissed on ah matter ah technicality. Otherwise “Scarface would ah or should ah bin alive today.

But just two weeks ago, “Scarface” story had touched de hearts of readers in de local Newspaper when he was given good coverage of his plight: “ how he had served his full sentence, he had learned his lessons including skills in Baking and Carpentry, and he was in need of ah wuk.”

But his greatest need was ah home. He is on record in an interview dat he feels strongly dat de Guv-ah-mint after keeping him in Prison foh so long, is obligated to find him ah home. My personal take is dat after ah prisoner would have served ah long sentence, not only would s/he be rejected by all, but would have become disconnected from de outside. De Guv-ah-mint should ensure dat on release, ah Prisoner be placed in ah job at one ah de Guv-ah-mint’s project, also dey should be ah hostel to house Refugees, ex-prisoners at ah rental, until dey are able to stand on dey feet.

But “Scarface” was playing ah Mr Jack-kill Mr Hide game! On one hand he was crying foh help and mercy, but on de other hand, he had ah number of our female folks living in fear ah de life. News reporters cannot always publish every piece ah info from an interview, but “Scarface” is on record of listing de names of ah number of prominent females whom he intended to harm; these are people who in some way might ah bin involved wid his Trial foh Rape. Lie-Za telephoned me ah few weeks ago, ah think is de very week-end dat “Scarface’s” story was in de Papers, to tell me dat her classmate, whose sister’s name was on “Scarface” list foh extermination, complained to her dat she was stalked by “Scarface” in de Market. At one point he just appeared within kissing space of dem both, she panicked and immediately discontinued her shopping, while she was disappearing from de scene, he shouted across to her: “You ignoring me, but …” She said she couldn’t hear exactly what he said, but it had something to do with her sister. I personally had Lie-Za’s story confirmed wid de lady, because is like de Pry-minister spit in her mouth, she does Lie sometimes but not all de time.

Rape is de lowest form ah indignity to which ah woman or any human can be subjected. Ah read ah few weeks ago in one ah de Asian countries, de Premier was advocating de automatic death penalty foh anyone who rapes ah child. I am not ah Jew and therefore do not believe in “Moses’ Law,” an I foh an I, and ah toot foh ah toot!” De death penalty is not in my books, but ah Life Sentence put away foh life no pardon, wid compulsory labour, is all-right wid me.

I do not believe dat God is ah “hit-man” whom we can contact thru prayer to liquidate our NME or detracors; but He has marvelous ways in which He answers our prayers.

“Scarface’s” death is nothing to rejoice about, and as cruel as it may sound, in de hearts ah many, his immediate removal from de face ah de earth whether it’s murder, assassination or whatever, is an answer to de prayers of ah number ah we terrified women who have not been sleeping comfortably since his release. May he find dat Peace and Comfort which we in society failed to give him all his life.

Lie-Za ask me to check ah scene at de Argyle Airport wid de sudden removal ah de chief Engineer. She say it got to do wid de promise deadline of 2014 to complete.

And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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