Dada serving Ital for 25 years

His name is Ian Hamlett, other wise known as Dan Dada and he operates an outlet in an area called Bamboo Gutter, Chauncey on the main Leeward Highway.

Dan Dada is a farmer, who cultivates a two-acre farm at Pembroke, not too far from his business place. {{more}}

At Pembroke, Dan Dada plants fruits and vegetables. At his depot, he prepares vegetarian meals and a variety of juices, mixing this venture with health and nutritional needs.

Besides the Pembroke farm, Dan Dada uses his back yard to enhance his business. There he produces additional crops, some of which are sold at the outlet, used in the preparation of food, or distributed to clients.

An outspoken man, hardened in the battle of survival, Dan Dada is more than an ordinary entrepreneur; he is a Rastafarian, a Nyahbinghi bretheren.

But Dan Dada is not pleased with the authority’s handling of the situation with agriculture here. He is worried that he would have to vacate his Pembroke spot in order to make way for hotel development.

He observes that the food importation bill is rising daily, and that Vincentians have resorted to selling imported vegetables. Dan Dada also notes that food prices go up every day.

He thinks, that “Agriculture has a very important part to play in our economic stability.”

This man is no newcomer to life and its struggles. He has been operating his outlet over the past 25 years, and his wisdom has increased. He remains committed to environmental preservation, and to overall human development.

Dan Dada is also a herbalist whose recommendations have provided relief to many.

In addition, the Searchlight newspaper is his favourite publication “Me always rate that paper. It always has more up to date happenings,” he pointed out.

Even though he accepts the notion of the world being a global village, he has a vision of his own and wants some protection for Vincentians.

“I see an invasion by Syria and Lebanon. I have heard the cry of the Vincentian, because they work on Vincy plantation and now the work is over, they don’t have a home in Vincy land,” Dan Dada said.

He observed: “I heard the Prime Minister (Dr. Ralph Gonsalves) say he has an Ethiopian connection. I am telling Black man look to Africa.”

Dan Dada is concerned about national affairs and observed: “If you look in the city, 90 per cent of the business is controlled by Syrian and Lebanese.”

He does not confine himself to agriculture however and his natural ability allows him to contribute to cultural development.

He plans to sing with the North South Leeward Calypso Tent in this season and already has a number called ‘One little belly full.’

This comes as no real surprise since he comes from the musical Hamlett family. He is brother to former national calypso monarch Elgin ‘Black Ebou’ Hamlett, and South Leeward calypso monarch Derek ‘Sick’ Alexander.

And to prove his seriousness, he sang some verses of one of his songs for this year. But he dismisses the competitive aspect of calpyso.

“Me nah so much in the competition. I just want to promote the culture,” he stated.

And to endorse his position, he pointed to the ongoing Digicel rising star contest.

“Check out what happen to Kellis Quashie,” Dan dada pointed out.

“How yo going to say one man win and one man lose,’ he added.

Dan Dada is a typical example of the Vincentian citizenry.

His faith is strong and his belief in the Rastafarian philosophy has guided him through the years.

He knows that it is a matter of survival of the fittest, and he ensures that he maintains a high degree of mental and physical alertness.

He has undergone his share of harassment and prosecution owing to his practice of the Rastafarian lifestyle. But he has a plea on behalf of the nation’s youths and that is: “We need the land. If the youths can’t be independent, it go always cause war and crime.”