No more Buccama sankey please

De reports coming out ah Buccama is not very encouraging, but dey’s still hope. Only a few months ago, there was good coverage of de project on TV, showing de Prime Minister and the Big Man foh de company addressing de wukers, soliciting dey support. Basically dey gave de assurance dat de project was on target, dey was even talk bout an opening in de UK around July, some of our media people were to go to de UK foh dat event.{{more}} Ah month ago ah went on de site wid some relatives from de US, and while ah didn’t see no hundreds ah workers as ah keep hearing, work was in progress, and my folks were quite impressed. But in my poor judge-men-tell eye, dah project still got some going to go, and dis July opening is wide ah de mark, remember dah’s de same Buccama dah was to be ready foh guests foh de ICC World Cup 2007 dah was hosted in de West Indies. Ah overs dat only ah week ago wukers were on de job from Monday to Sunday, including overtime, trying to meet de July deadline. So it was ah surprise when ah heard on Monday dat dey had shut down de project, wukers sent home widout pay and widout any explanation given. Ah figured to me-self dat Buccama was having another one ah dem, one too many, shut down. Somehow dat seems to be de norm wid far-reign investors coming to these parts. When is not contractors fighting wid Manage-Mint, is Manage-Mint pulling out making room foh ah next set. De trouble is dat we can do lickle about way going down. Right now we have had what is beginning to look like ah series ah closures in de Hotel Industry. Two months ago Friendship Bay Hotel shut down or foreclosed. Last month, Raffles, de contractors at Can-one pack-up and gone, or fired, leaving hundreds ah wukers on de bread line. Hopefully another set ah contractors will come on soon; but in de mean-time de country is tied by its test-tickles wid these far-reign investors. We must look within ourselves, build our Agriculture and our fishing industries. Some good news however, came on Choose-day when it was announced dat wuk had resumed at Buccama, but not de full compliment ah wukers. Ah have one lickle question to ask. If Buccama is to be opened soon, how come ah not hearing any talks or discussions between de Manage-mint and our local farmers and fisher-folks about supplies. Don’t tell me dat all de food, fruits etc will be imported, again.



LIE-ZA’S MOTION TO DE NIS

De NIS of SVG has turned out to be ah leader in de field, Congratulations! De institution came in foh high international ratings “Numero uno” foh de services offered by dis country’s NIS to beneficiaries. I am ah proud pensioner, every fortnight, on de Dot, ah could put me pot pon de stove and go to de bank to collect, my payments are waiting foh me. Today’s accomplishment would not have been, were it not foh de competent pioneers. Milton Cato in his wisdom and vision, started de Provident Fund and every body complained when it was said dat pension benefits will be paid at sixty, retirement was at fifty-five back den. De fund later became de National Insurance Scheme, now dat word Scheme gave ah bad connotation and was changed to Service. Ah want to big up de good people (some dead and gone) who kept de ship afloat in de rough waters at de beginning, men like Claude Samuel, Basil Coombs, Mornix Lewis and others. Ah very unassuming young man name Hugh Dougan did ah good job setting it up, when it became de NIS. And de scheme always had good management, Henry Gaynes, Arm-in Eustace, Earl Crichton, again and others, lately we cheerman Lennox Bowman, ah dedicated chap, ah weary tell people he’s not my son, just ah cousin trying to look like me. Nuff respect foh de present staff, courteous, energetic and knowledgeable; well wid people like Reggy Thomas and Ms Glasgow always on de balls, sorry one ball, ah will settle foh nothing less. Ah don’t want to run into trouble calling names, but Mr Jacobs is de officer who insisted dat ah got registered, thank yuh Jay-key. One ah these days, when he is re-tyred and on pension, ah will show my appreciation and buy him ah “Red Bull” or if he can’t handle ah Bull, ah smaller animal like “Village Ram” he’ll need it then. Having said all ah dat, I have been asked by one Ms. Lie-Za of de Lie-in family, to move ah motion for an immediate increase in pension benefits foh pensioners. I swear dat I am not ah part ah Lie-Za scheme, but I beg to second her motion.



DEM FELLARS LOVE GOD

Lie-Za is excited how de fellar who was manning de affairs in T’n’T got to face enquiry to prove dat he was not de PM building ah church foh God; he claiming PM in dat case is Project Manager. So she wants to be “de fly on de wall” when de Project Manager in SVG goes to Pappa Lolo up Sin Ben-deck, to explain to Pappa Lolo dat God ain’t know, but dem fellars planning to do God some wickedness, so he de Project Manager come to wuk some Owe-bee-yah foh God. And wid day, yuh know is gone ah gone again. Remember dat Monday is ah Day of Prayer. Spend yuh lunch hour on yuh knees! One Love Bassy

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