Ordan: ‘Blood will run in de country’

Ah listen bits-n-pieces ah de Pry-Minister’s marathon ah-dress at de ULP Con-vin (cent)-shun last Sunday; ah done say ah-ready dat is ah wuk to sit and listen to ah whole Ah-dress by de PM. But ah looking forward to his promised “strategic plan to fight de crime sit-yuh-here-shun in SVG.” Wuk or no wuk ah listening to dat present-hey-shun, from start to finish. Yes man de crime sit-yuh-hear-shun in SVG is terrible foh want of ah worser word. We don’t say Murder anymore it’s called Home-aside! So much so dat Lie-Za saying since ULP in office de Murder rate gone down but de Home-aside numbers keep climbing, and dey happening hey, dey and every-way.{{more}}

Ah trying to come up wid suggest-shuns foh de PM in his “Strategic Plans to fight Crime.” Somehow de name Ordan Graham keep coming to my mind all de time. Ordan is ah decent man wid de heart as aint-no-saint as ah child. He gets swept away whenever his interest in captured. When he bailed out from his beloved homeland SVG, he was ah member ah I-fan Own-heel Green Party; but before dat he was ah Labour Fan-ah-tick. Ah remember at de Christmas Carolling Contest back in 2000, Ordan was on stage out front leading de ULP Stars, wid Harmonica and Guitar, decked in Red shirt and cowboy hat. Each group sang ah traditional Carol and ah local or group composition in lively tempo and rhythm. Wid only three days before Christmas, Ordan and his group’s second song was “We want de Go-venom-mint change foh de Christmas!” He didn’t get his wish foh de Christmas, but by April de next year, on All Fools Day de Go-venom-mint was changed and not only de ULP was in office, but Ordan got ah big wuk at GESCO now BRAGGSTA, ah department always under fire foh alleged corrupt-shun.

But Ordan thought he could ah rock de boat; he brought de corrupt-shun to de attend-shun of his Representah foh de area. It now appears dat Ordan was wrongly placed, not good foh de organ-I-say-shun. So he was relieved, transferred to home Fired! Vict-him No 1. Dat’s how he got hooked on to de Green Party as Secretary.

Clearly Ordan had ah weakness foh genuine organized gathering, from weddings to funerals to pull-it-to-kill rallies or demonstray-shuns, just sar Or and Dan is dey! Dat is why one Sunday afternoon in 2006, he found himself at Cane Grove with de “Friends of Tobago Cays” who had ah protest rally in fair-foh de Rasta Farmers who were standing up to Go-venom-mint and de Buccama Infestors. De NDP had given de Rasta Farmers leasehold titles to de lands at Buccama to plant food and become self- sufficient. But de Infestors not only wanted de ‘man-and-dem’ lands foh Hotel Development, but also had de support of Ralph and Julie-Ann. De Rasta Farmers were told in threatening lingo, dat dey had no real title to de land, dat dey were only Leaseholders (Lessee) some of dem did not even pay up dey fees. Imagine today de Can-One Infestors wid de same Leasehold Title are selling out our lands and giving Freehold Title. Lef dat foh another time.

Well Ordan could not resist teking over de microphone at de Rally. He was emotional and passionate as usual, and he was at his all time best, like he went Viral: “ Dr Gonsalves I know you will get this tape. Ordan is asking you, begging you to rethink your Draconian Policies in this country, otherwise Blood would run in de country, Blood would run in this country!” Of course Ordan was charged for Sedition, de books say dat’s ah Crime of inciting revolt against Go-venom-mint. Ordan of all people??

Ah went and check out way Ordan meant by Draconian. It says dat de word comes from ah tyrant named Draco, de celebrated (650 BC) Law-giver of Athens under whose rule small offenses had harsh punishments; ( and harsh offenses had small punishments like de lady Red-is-straw). But hear dis, Folklore says dat during ah traditional Greek show of approval, held at ah theatrical funk-shun, Draco supporters threw so many hats and shirts and cloaks on his head dat he suffocated, died and was buried in de same theatre. Lie-Za say she predicting ah similar pull-it-tek-all death of our local Draco, dat he too will die from pull-it-tek-ill suffocation, his supporters will strangle him will illegal Votes and Passports. Dey will charge dat Lie-Za foh See-dis-shun like Ordan.

However, Ordan won his case, de Go-venom-mint appealed and lost as well. But Lie-Za pressuring me to ask some searching questions: “Wid all these Murders taking place, two dis week alone, are de chickens coming home to roost?” Was Ordan’s statement “Blood will run in de country” prophetic?” What did de Soothsayer, Ordan see, dat made him call on Gonsalves to rethink his Draconian Policies? And is it too late to ask Gonsalves to revisit Ordan’s humble request ten years ago before he introduces his “Strategic Plan in de Fight against Crime.” Tell me if Lie-Za not out-ah-place, she wants to find out if dis latest Cyber Bully Law includes taped dirty telephone converse-say-shun. When dey lock she up I not around. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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