Wah go mek he vex

Is way dem NDP people really want, dey keep provoking de man every day, begging him to ring bell and call Elect-shuns, dey better nah mek he get Vex, and call de Elect-shuns in truth. And even if he did say he waiting till de Airport done to call de Elect-shuns, he could show dem wid de Airport “years from finish,” he could change he mind and call Elect-shuns foh Christmas. Ah think way ah just write “years from finish” dah go mek he Vex.{{more}}

Lie-Za telling me she know wha to say to mek de man Vex. She asking me to write say, dat is twice de place really dress-up nice foh In-dip-an-dance, in 2001 and 2014. And remind him dat de two years have serious significance, one is his first de other is his last. Ah tell she Yes! Dah go mek he Vex!

Den she say to write say dat de only reason why he won’t call Elect-shuns before Christmas, is because Christmas 2013, was suppose to be his last, but de floods ruined it. Well, dis year he doing everything he possibly can, to avoid any man-made disaster that will ruin his Christmas, so dey’ll be no Elect-shuns before de Christmas! Yes, ah think “Dah go mek he Vex!”

Den she tell me, “mek he get vex!” Write and tell him he don’t even have medicate-shun at de Milton Cato Hospital, he still have December flood victims in shelters, yet he gone putting he foot in he mouth, saying how he will be willing to help with the EC$112 million or US$42 million bill, dat de Indian cricketing authorities have sent West Indies Cricket Board, foh come-pen-say-shun after de West Indies cricketers and de Board made ah mess and called off de tour. And if dat ain’t get hin Vex, just tell him, de only help he could give, is if he could get dem to hear de Case in SVG Jury’s-dick-shun and meet Mr No-lip Ross! She say dat “go mek he Vex” so bad, he will call Elect-shuns, yesterday. Den he will go in de hills to help hunt down his Rasta Frenz!

WE LOSE AH GREAT SON

Ah gentleman came at my office several years ago, to invite me to ah thing (his descript-shun) dat he was having on de Police Compound at Mespo. He didn’t give details but simply told me to walk wid my camera, and ah will get something good to write about. When he was leaving he said to me: “Promise me dat yuh go come!” Ah reached by de Mespo Police Station on de dot foh 4:00 o-clock dat afternoon. De crowd was building up, dey was about ah dozen pieces ah brass (wind) instruments nex to some chairs in de yard. And dey was ah bunch ah youngsters between de age of eight and twelve running in and out de station, wid de gentleman trying to get dem seated. Among dem was ah tall youngster, mute (deaf ‘n’dumb) fooling around wid ah guitar wid no strings.

“Dis has to be some kind ah joke,” ah said. Some ah de kids were so small dat ah wondered what kind ah sound dey could produce from these brass pieces including ah heavy Bass, even bigger dan de player. But was ah different story when de gentleman finally got dem settled and dey began to play. De crowd which had grown to close to ah hundred, loved every bit ah de concert. Ah did not walk wid ah tape but ah took ah lot ah photographs, had nuff to write in my Column dat was published in de Searchlight dat weekend.

Dey was ah banner, ah can’t remember de name of de band, but it was de official launch of “Slums” Music School foh Disadvantaged Kids. Based on our conversation dat afternoon, ah learnt of de many challenges he had, begging hey, dey and every wey foh instruments; some damaged dat he himself repaired. De lickle orchestra grew in strength and numbers, played sweeter and sweeter music, and its popularity expanded, making appearances at every opportunity: Church Parades, Harvests, Nine Mornings and Funerals. Dey played foh free way-ever dey perform.

De gentleman has left us wid short notice. We, all of SVG have lost ah great “son ah de soil” wid de sudden passing of Eustace “Slums” Maloney. Why did dey called him “Slums” ah doh know, once or twice ah was tempted to ask him way badness he uses to do as ah lickle youth, mek dey call him ah name like ”Slums,” but ah couldn’t come around to call him anything but Maloney. He was ah complete musician, player, arranger, conductor, teacher, Calypso Judge and best of all, he gave his talent foh Free! What was “eye-run-ache” however, is dat were it not for de willingness of “Slums” to share his God given Musical Talent wid disadvantaged youths, ah lot ah kids from de Marriaqua Valley would ah end up in de slum! His fair-foh-it instrument was de Sax, but he played several instruments, trumpet, euphonium, yuh bring it and “Slums” will play it. St. Peter smiling up dey, he now has ah musician who could play in any section ah Heaven’s Symphony! And wid dat, is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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