Double award foh Sergeant Smith

Ah wish to endorse de honouring exercise in which several Police Officers were recognized for dey outstanding performance in 2017.Ole people say it good to give Jah s/he Jah-kit. Lie-Za was disappointed dat no men-shun was made of Sergeant Brenton Smith, Cheer-man of de Police Well-fear Association who, in Lie-Za’s books, deserves ah Double Award. One foh Loyalty, lay his job on de line foh his fellowmen, and de other she calls “Intrepido” Fearless in a verbal exchange wid de PM widout being rude or disrespectful!

We recall earlier last year, de now famous “#@StormingDePMOffice” tweet, in which ah frustrated Sergeant Smith and his Executive, after several futile attempts to get ah hearing with his superiors, just to correct serious issues affecting his fellow Police Officers, decided to put his neck on de block, and go to de head ah de Fountain. Smith badly wanted redress to long outstanding, work related issues, he tried ah Done-all Trump and Twittered “#StormDePMOffice.” Immediately someone higher up tweeted Breaking News…“#@ WellFearTreason!” @PMBootsNeedPolishing” ..“#TellPMFreshShoePolishPonMeTongue” Dat Twitter Officer obviously looking foh ah promotion he does not deserve, but thanks to Jah foh Policemen like Sarge Smith, he seeking ah better life foh his colleagues, and he wanted ah man to man chat wid de PM. But dem in Charge labeled Smith and de executive members are Treason-us, had dem transferred to de most remote areas immediately. Ah was listening to de PM at de Police Awards Ceremony, telling de officers how much he loves Police. Yet he wash his hands while de same Police Well-Fear Representatives getting victim-eyes foh promising to “#StormPMOffice.” And all dey asking is foh him to show dis Love foh policemen he talking bout.

De second Award is ah follow up to de first when de PM met to dis-cuss Pen-shun Reform wid Public Sector Union Officials including Sergeant Smith, who represented de Police Well-Fear Association. I-Witness News summed it up nicely “PM, Police welfare head spar over ‘Storm’ office comment.” Seems like de PM threw de first stone using words like “men wanted to come here to storm me.” After dat was “Tit fohTat” as stones start to pelt back and forth wid Sergeant Smith giving back as good as de PM gave him. Reading between de lines, Smith was Bold in his responses, he was not Rude, was never once Disrespectful in presenting ah Case foh his fellow Policemen. And foh dat Lie-Za gives him “De Intrepido Award” foh Fearlessness!

THREE IN THREE YEARS

Later dis month, when Former Station Sergeant, Collin John receives his letter of appointment as Commissioner of Police, he will be de third commissioner in as many years. Ah young Collin John left de Force, went and got ah Law Degree and was admitted to de Bar. He had ah short stint as Assistant DPP and den returned to de Force as Assistant Commissioner. Ah don’t know who else was in line foh de top Cop job, but Lie-Za say at one time, he was tipped to be ah candidate foh de ULP, so we done know who go want to run things. Lie-Za reminds me dat ah done say ‘give Jah his Jah-kit’. Unlike his predecessors, he is probably one of de youngest and better qualified Commissioners, lacking somewhat in hard Policing experience, but academically she says: “John earned his job.”

Unfortunately however, he stumped his toe out of Youthful exuberance or was it Administrative Inexperience? He tried to create ah Police Relief Fund foh Dominica, not ah bad I-dare except, somebody should ah tell him dat he had no authority to order ah $10. 00 deduction from police officer’s salary, widout dey consent or written instruction to de Accountant General. And Lie-Za will hold him to his promise to get rid ah all de Bad Cops…if and when he gets appointed Commissioner!! Ole people say: “Load ah mouth nah load ah head! And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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