Awe-ward! ah-ward! and a-ward!

In ah couple days we will be saying goodbye to 2017, but not widout me passing out ‘New Year’s Goodies’ foh Nah-shun-all recognition. Ah giving an Awe-ward to de Van Drivers, not-with-standing de delinquents among dem who create endless problems foh mind-full drivers, as well as de Police. Widout our Van Drivers eh, de whole country will be either late, absent or just shut down.Foh Yuh-till-it-ease, VINLEC gets an Ah-ward foh efficient service in Electricity, “ley me knock board,” but ah don’t hear people come-plain anymore bout VINLEC mashing up dey fridges and TV. VINLEC also gets an A-ward foh fastest Bill Collection. Still wid Yuh-till-it-ease, nobody come-plain anymore about “water gone, ah wonder when it coming back!” And ah know it is 7:30 a.m every Monday morning, when ah hear de Solid Waste truck revving up at my gate, so an A-ward foh CWSA and also foh “Fastest Bill Collect-shun!” Lie-Za say de Street Cleaners should be upgraded to Litter Debunking Technicians wid an A-ward. Thanks to those of us who litter de streets and drains like if it’s ah style. De Ugly-foh-care-shun Awe-ward goes to Kingstown Market. In Hell’t, de Night Nurse, Margaret London gets de Off-duty A-ward’ and de Medicinal Recreation A-ward is when Grant, marry Anna Connell. An A-ward foh Blight oops sorry, Dwight, Bing Joseph’s early morning Boom-around Radio show. Two Humilty Awards go to fast rising Soca Star, Hance John and de Super Talented, Pannist/Producer, Rodney Small.

DE CITY OF GOLD

Ah-ten-shun is building up between de Jews and Palestinians over Jah-rose-Salem, thanks to Done-ill Trump. It is well documented dat Jah-rose-Salem is over 6, 000 years ole, it is de oldest and most celebrated city in his-story. Attacked 46 times, captured 44 times and destroyed twice. Some years ago ah wanted to visit Jah-rose-Salem, dat’s when Bishop Rivas took ah number of faithful Cat-licks on ah Pilgrimage to de Holy City. It was foh Cat-licks only, so ah couldn’t go. But those who made de trip are still in ‘shock and awe’ wid just about everything dey saw. De multi-coloured, pink, white and yellow stones on de buildings, de wailing wall, narrow streets etc. When dey came to de chilly and cold Jordan River, Lie-Za say polluted as well, dey all, including Bishop Rivas had ah real Water Baptism.

Dis ole confusion between de Jews and de Palestinians with regards to who owns Jah-rose-Salem, is not today story. About 3,500 years ago, King David built ah Temple there foh de Lord and his son Solomon, built ah city around de Temple. Anyhow after David and his son did dey thing, de Jews tell demselves dat Jah-rose-Salem belong to dem alone. De city was destroyed twice, God put ah cussing pon dem, and scattered dem all over de earth, but nothing stopped dem from returning, Jews don’t give up. Not even Jesus who was ah born and bred Jew was able to get thru to dem. Once He met dem buying and selling, and changing money in de Temple; man He mek ah whip from Rope and nail de backside wid licks. He admonished dem: “How dare all yo turn my Father’s House into ah market!” Dey didn’t tek too kindly to His claim that it was “His Father’s House” which means de Temple belongs to Jew, Palestine, Gentile and Garifuna. So de Jews challenged Jesus to show dem proof of His claim and authority. It was more confusion when Jesus told dem ‘He could mash it down and build it back in three days.’

But Jah-rose-Salem, wid its ancient Sinner-gags; Churches, Mosques and Buildings is an Architectural Mosaic; It has retained a diverse and cosmopolitan character with distinct quarters occupied by Jews, Muslims, Christians, Armenians. It’s ah shame dat ah ‘Tunnel Dump’ sorry, Done-ill Trump had to stir-up confusion by declaring de USA recognizes Jah-rose-Salem as de capital of Israel. We’ll wait and see, And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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