This Independence say a Prayer for Preys

I went back 20 years to see what I had written in my Column foh In-de-pen-dance dat year. As usual ah was come-plain-in bout how de Clergy was invited and was present at de Military Parade, but dey was no Opening Prayers. And to add insult, dat year in particular dey was de Anglican Bishop’s Con-friends in SVG and most ah dem were present. After 20 years ah still waiting, because ah believe dat “Prayers kills Preys!” Lie-Za done say nah badder wid dem “de Preys kill Prayers!” Everything hey is only foh ah sham, how dey does call foh Nah-shun-all dey of Preys only when de Big man need it. But all joke aside, what better Day to have at least one Prayer foh de Nay-shun on our Nah-shun-all-Day when all A’s and I’s dey four-cuss on de Parade, who not by dey Raid-yuh listening, dey by de TV watching?

Another thing ah wrote in dat In-deep-and-dance Article in 1998, was dat ah had met Sir James at Ratho Mill buying boil corn from de Rasta Man, and how ah asked him when he was planning to re-tyre.

Ah wrote dat Sir James told me he was staying until he got de money to build de Airport. Even Sir James didn’t realize dat in de midst of one’s illustrious Pull-it-tek-ill life, is one’s illustrious Pull-it-tek-kill death. Three years after he and de NDP were out of Office. And de good thing is, dat even though it took 13 years after Sir James’ exit, his successor built an Enter-nah-shun-all Airport. De next time ah meet Prime Minister Gone-soft ah go ask him when he planning to leave office. Ah know he go tell me how Put-ah-gee hard fee dead, but whatever answer he gives me ah will remind him dat 20 years ago, Sir James was 67 years ole, younger dan Ralph is today, and ah will tell him de answer Sir James gave to dat same question.

EMPIRE DAY NOSTALGIA

Tomorrow Sat-dey we celebrate In-dip-and-dance 39th Birthday. Ah love to see all de lickle school children decked in de colours of de Nah-shun-all Flag foh school Rally. It reminds me of back in my time, de 24th May, Empire Day Parade. At 8 a.m sharp, every student of de three Primary schools in Kingstown, the RC, Anglican and Wesley Hall Met-dis assembled like soldiers, wid we lickle Union Jack (de Red, White and Blue Flag) in Victoria Park. There we sang: “God Save our Gracious King (GeorgeVI)” foh de Administrator. Plus ah lot ah British Patriotic songs like “I vow to de my Country,” and “ Rule Britania,” Den we recited ah poem “Children of the Empire we are brothers all..” Den dey was ah treat at de school. Dem days all ah we tell we self we were British Subjects, until in de 1950s, Black people got ah shock, when we start to migrate by boat-loads of thousands to England de Mother Country; dey were treated like dirt. Ask Alwyn Lewis who is on Nice Radio on Fry-dey nights.

But yuh notice de indelible mark Empire Day left wid me. It is my hope dat ah lot more positive events could take place among de young people during In-de-pen-dents Month. So dat 70 years down de road, dey too will have ah story like me to tell, except dey’s must have all bout Vinsee Pay-true-it-is-him.

BOYS WILL BE BOYS

Ah enjoyed de news story way two lickle youth-men broke into de Georgetown Police Station and borrowed (not stole) two motorcycles and ah buy-cycle. De Go-venom-mint should pay dem youths foh exposing de serious lapse in security taking place at de Station sorry, dat’s not ah Police Station it’s ah Poor-Least Steer-shun.

Ah begging Mad-is-straight Rickey Burnett in dealing wid dem youths, order dat dey attend School every day, wid lessons in de afternoon, alternated wid some sports training. Dey must be enrolled in de Scouts, and join ah Steel Band. If dey slip up, dey will go on ah curfew. Remember Bro Rickey, “Boys will be Boys!”And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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