Two out ah five great citizens

Foh dis week and maybe next week, ah paying respects to Five Vincy (Five in ah Row) who would have left us but not before planting ah Monument.

RAWLE “MARSHIE” MARSHALL, ah career Public Servant during de Joshua, Cato and Mitchell Administrations. Even back den like now, we had Senior Public Servants who sang straight from de politickan’s song sheet to get promotion. Marshie however operated under strict, moral principles, was no politrickan’s fear-foh-it, and was therefore very un-pop- yuh-law. Ah was one of his Assistant who benefitted from his Administrative Skills, when he was Store Keeper at PWD Arnos Vale. Around 1963, De Canadian Contracting Firm (CCC), was building de Kingstown Wharf, ah project financed by de Canadian Government. De Contactors wid special treatment, bought ah lot ah Go-venom-mint materials (cement etc) duty free, creating serious shortages of cement foh local Contractors on Government Projects. De Contractors complained to Marshie who decided to correct dat. So he did and de Canadian Contractors were furious and lobbied just about everybody in de Ministry including de PS and Mammy Joshua wid her pull-it-to-kill muscles to have Marshie and his decision removed.

But, Marshie stood firm and turned her away.

As was expected, de very next day, dey was ah high powered meeting wid de PS, Office Superintendent, Transport Officer and Marshie. Dat Meeting was short-lived when Marshie was asked foh an explanation, he replied:: “ I am not begging anybody foh promotion and I don’t want anything to thief!”

He knew de Rules and Regulations governing Public Servants. He was transferred almost immediately; ah Victim-I-say-shun.

But even back den, no pull-it-tek-all Party reigns foh-ever. Ah few years later, just like Joseph in de Bible, Marshall got his fair Justice. He later became ah PS (Budget Secretary) in PM Mitchell’s office before he retired. If only today’s Public Service had ah few Rawle Marshall. He earned his Rest in Peace.

PARNEL “PR” CAMPBELL

Way do yuh start and way do yuh end wid PR, man who had many Coats. Ah remember him as far back as 1957, ah lickle youth-man, every morning at 6:00 a.m. he came to swim wid us senior boys at de wharf in front de Police Barracks. We found out he was from Bagga; came to Kingstown to go Grammar School, which explained his swimming skills. He adjusted to Town Life , and before yuh whnk, de youth-man was wearing long pants, School Blazer and tie, den he was teaching, den off to University.

PR was ah Culture Man, Kaisonian who sang some, and some were sung on him. Around 1988 Vincy Carnival, Kaiso Tent was in high gear wid MC’s like Professor, Sir Louche, Randy D. De at-most-fair was electric. MC Professor said Good-night Mr Minister, come stage-side please Sir. After dat intro, it was like Mas in de Cinema!, de crowd began to chant: “We want King Jaja!” ( PR’s sobriquet). Den dey switched to singing: “Buy yuh own cigarette” PR’s Cave Hill Campus Kaiso Hit. Den de musicians immediately blended to de melody an PR oops, King Jaja took over. As was expected, de crowd sang along wid him as “PR mash down de Tent!”

DE PROUD SPIRITUAL BAPTIST

Subject to correct-shun, PR would have bin SVG’s first practicing Lawyer who was also an active Spiritual Baptist Leader. Baylis would be T‘n’T’s first. . De Spiritual Baptist, often described as the Lower-class Religion, however PR was ah proud member; Baptized and Mourn (I think in Bo-bathe-us), one ah Archbishop Grenville Williams’ Pilgrims. Actually he was one time Chancellor of de Organization. And whereas some people ride on de backs of an Organization, Party and de Church, Not PR! His motto was “Ask me what I can do foh my Religion.” Spiritual Baptists and Seventh Day Adventists can attest to de fact dat PR opened their Church Doors to Live Radio Broadcast.

Already we missing his “ The Law and You” half hour TV program at 8:30 p.m. every Monday night widout fail. De Law and You is ah Unique Series of Legal Info, compiled by PR in simple Layman’s language, done foh de Eddy-fee-care-shun and benefit of de Ordinary Man.. Kudos to de Man PR.

DE OIL WAR IS OVER

And of course Lie-Za has de last say. “ She doh like how PR mek Sir James win de bet, dat he Sir James’ (Bequia) Wail-Oil better dan PR (Bagga) Black Fish Oil.” De Love Vine joins wid all Spiritual Baptist and PR’s family as we march Saint Parnel up to Zion! And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy