Dat National Hero non-cents again

“Come-reds and friends, Behold I bring you glad tidings and good news, ah givin’ all yoh ah Second National Hero!” Bla! Bla! Bla! Bla! “I know dey have some people out dey like Kenneth John and Bassy Alexander…. who been campaigning against, for instance, Milton Cato to be a national hero, well dey have their opinion and I have mine (and I am prime minister).”

Ah got de foregoing from bits and pieces ah Kenton Chance’s and Lie-Za’s e-mail.

When the first National Hero was to be selected, Dr Fraser and I were nominated by Governor General, Sir Charles Antrobus, to sit on the selection panel, we sat along wid Gonsalves’ nominees, Doc Adams, Cecil Ryan et al. Basically, it was ah matter ah rubber stamping Cabinet’s choice of Paramount Chief Joseph Catoyer, as National Hero. But my position on National Hero was made clear in one of my articles years ago, and it has not changed.

Ah said dat we only need one National Hero, settle foh Chatoyer. Let me be faulted foh seeing too much into de “Man Chatoyer”. He had to be Superman, mentally and physically powerful, Lie-Za say wid six wives, dat’s her kind ah man. But above all he had a sound philosophy, not too sure of his reading skills, but Chatoyer was able to read correctly into the greed and trickery ah de British, French and de lot back then, fore-parents ah those who come today under de guise ah “Infesters”, still full ah tricks, exploiters!

Joseph Chatoyer fought foh real independence on de battle field, natural “blood, sweat and tears” was shed. Was not like when Joshua and Cato dem tek plane to England, wine n’ dine in luxury hotels, den sat around de conference table at ‘No 10 Downing House” in de UK, say dey demanding Pull-it-tek-ill Independence, instruments dat de British already had on ah platter waiting to give us, de British by den, wanted no part of us, no more.

Clearly Chatoyer’s vision and philosophy differed from our present day leaders; he never intended foh Palm Is., Young Is. Petit St. Vincent, Mustique, three-quarters of Can-One to be alienated to far-rainers.

He wanted dis land to pass from Vincy generation to generation wid de hope dat over time, future generations will develop our country, build Airports, hotels and mariners and what have you. He died in ah bloody fight trying to mek it all ah reality.

Personally, ah have no problem wid Mc Intosh, Joshua or Gonsalves oops, Cato getting National Hero. I am now thinking dat de name Joseph Chatoyer was only suggested foh first National Hero as ah kind ah scape goat, to pave de way foh de real wolves in goat skins. I maintain dat if we serious bout National Hero, ah lot more must be done to promote the grand image of Chatoyer. At least a statue, bust or painting of Chatoyer should be placed in every town and Grenadine island, every school, public building.

Is serious wuk inculcating and instilling in our youths, respect foh and pride in our first National Hero. But first we have to do something immediately about de wave of vicious crimes against our women. And hey is way ah beg to differ from Prime Minister Gonsalves wid his I-dare of ah second National Hero.

Imagine de PM addressing his ULP Women’s Conference, held de same day de decayed body of a female was found; another 13-year-old girl allegedly missing; at ah time when our mothers, sisters and daughters are being raped, abused, battered and slain, five or more females have been murdered in as many months; and de PM couldn’t find anything more important to tell party supporters, dan to ready dem-selves to make de case foh de late P.M. Cato’s ascension to National Hero, de nations highest office.

Any more National Hero talk should be about de Real Hero, de ONE wid all de answers. Let us stop fooling we-self, Satan is on duty patrolling all over our land, playing Bully on de streets, Bully in de homes, Bully every-where, but Christ is his only Breaker. Ladies of de ULP and Vincentians, let Jesus be our next National Hero. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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