Most Gen-yuh-in Rep-resent-her foh 2024

Dey was ah time when ah uses to give out New Years Awe-Ward to locals, based on dey contribution to Nay-shun building foh de particular year. But Lie-Za say if ah thinking of going back dey, think wisely, because any awe-wards to be given, Whirl Boss will want all foh his five-in-arrears, 24 years of Mrs Manage-in pry-minister.

Den she suggested ah pick ah candidate from both parties ULP and NDP. Ah asked her who would she recommend from de NDP . Quickly she started to name her fair-foh-its in de following order: “ God-Win Fry-dey; Sen Shove-on John; Hon See-in-clear Lay-cock; Fits Bramble; Sis Love-on Velox- dat’s it.” Ah told her my pick would be Dan-Yell Coming, Ralph’s neme-misses, Harry Potter himself, “de boy who lived.” Lie-za smiled and said: “ How quickly we forget, why didn’t I think of Uncle Dan?” Mouth open and story jump out! She remembers when Dan-yell was Manager of CWSA in de Mitchell led NDP Administration, when ah couple ministers were ah few months late (deliberately) in paying dey utility (water) bill and Dan-yell disconnected dey service. De go come-plain to Mitchell who asked CWSA Cheerman Monty Maule ,to deal wid it, not knowing dat when Dan-yell,say kill Monty say bury!

Dey’s ah lovely story behind or in front Dan Cummings’ stint as manager of CWSA. Of course he was ah fully qualified Engineer along wid an MBA as well, and coming from ah wuking class father and uncle construction team, he values wuk and wukers. He was challenged at de Water Works, ah Statutory Authority wid lots ah potential, ah service waiting foh de Midas Touch. Streams wid lots ah water, an enthusiastic work force, skilled field wukers e.g. pipe fitters labourers, except dat 70 percent ah de wukers could not read or write. De new manager Cummings immediately introduced an on-de job, Adult Education training programme foh wukers.

Ah number ah dem obtained passes in CXC, while ah few, including ah water metre reader went on to University. Remarkable! Like his name-sake Daniel in de Bible, de legendary Hebrew boy known for his God given wisdom and follower, dis lickle Black Boy from Kingstown Park was able to merge de Sanitation Dept, Garbage collection Service with de Water Works, thereby forming de Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA), one of de most reliable if not de best Utility Service in SVG. Whereas when ULP took office 24 years ago, we were fooled to believe dat we will be receiving cheap ALBA fuel from Venezuela dat will lower our energy cost considerably, today as de second lowest paid wukers in de Carry-Beyond, we in SVG wid dis set ah “Dis Charge and Dat Charge” we Over Charge foh electricity. Dan-yell’s greatest accomplishment at CWSA was when he used funds from customers payment (water rates), and built ah modern two-storey Administrative Building at Old Montrose. Under dis one-seat majority ULP Go-venom-mint, ten years ago we were promised dat dey will refurbish 4, 000 acres of bananas, we still waiting, ah ripe banana is ah EC dollar. We have completely lost our banana industry. We were promised ah brand new Our-Root Factory three years ago. We have ah building shell but no factory, no crop, no plants! Look at our crime sit-yuh-hear-shun. Dis Go-venom-mint has no answer what-so-ever, dey should not even stick around to call elect-shun. Ah saw on TV news way de president of de Fisher Folks Association saying , dat dey can’t get dey Fish sold, Venezuelan Fishers catching fish in our waters, and are ahead of local fisher-folks supplying Fish to our market. Look ley me just announce dat Dan-Yell Cummings is Lie-Za’s choice for Most Gen-yuh-in Representor foh 2024. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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