Dear Nesta,
You know how pleasin’ it was to see how good we Caribbean afletes perform at de Olympics?
Evuhbody well know it did mainly Jamaicans doin’ de damage, wid Bolt leadin’ de pack, but dah young man, Kerani James, impress muh a lot when he win de 400 metres race an’ put li’l Grenada ’pon de map! De very firs’ time fuh dah islan’ to win a medal at de Olympics – an’ a gole one to-besides!
We should all congratulate de young man, an’ wish ’e all de bes’. I lookin’ forward to seein’ he in de middle spot ’pon de podium at mo’ Olympics, ’cause I sure we gine be hearin’ dat name a lot mo’ in de future! Yuh cyahn hol’ Grenadians now a-tall! I onderstan’ duh been celebratin’, at home an’ overseas, like dey was no tomorrow! As well duh should!
Bajans din get dah opportunity, doh, as Ryan Brathwaite en reach de tapes fas’ enuff to pick up a medal in de 110-metre hurdles. But he deserve we congratulations, as dis is de firs’ time sence Obadele win a bronze medal eight years ago, dat a Bajan reach de finals at de Olympics. Wuh’s de problem? De “powers-dat-be” in sports gine ha’ to get serious an’ put we afletes onder some real “heavy manners” an’ de afletes got to show a lot mo’ commitment, ef we want to get anywhey in 2016! We coolin’ out in de “also ran” department much too long!
I would like to see dah feelin’ o’ Caribbean “love an’ light” continue long after de Olympic flame die out. At de Games, regardless to whey de winner come from, it was always a Caribbean victory, not a Jamaican, or Trinidadian or whoevuh else! I onderstan’ Hammie Lashley even now callin’ fuh a special day – Lord, not anethuh bank holiday! – fuh de whole region to come togedduh an’ celebrate! All o’ we is one! But dah en really true – ax a Trini, or Bajan or Guyanese or any ethuh islander – an’ see how true dah is! Inspite o’ de CMSE, we en tryin’, or even want to try, to change dah tune. Anyhow, it good to know dat, at leas’ fuh two weeks evuh four years, we could see each ethuh as “One Love”!
I realize de Games tek up a lot o’ yuh time, but I still sorry yuh c’n mek it home fuh Crop Over! As yuh know, I never get too involve. I jes’ atten’ couple tents, an’ watch de calypso finals ’pon TV! But I promise muhself ef I see Plastic Bag an’ Gabby names in de finals nex’ year, I done watchin’, I would know de results befo’ de ban’ strike de firs’ note! As long as dem two competin’, nobody else don’ stan’ a chance, an’ dis time, wasn’ no diff’rent! Plastic Bag went off wid de crown – fuh de umpteenth time – an’ Gabby hol’ t’ird spot!
Now, don’ get muh wrong, Plastic Bag an’ Gabby in a class by duhselves, an’ over de years, duh gi’e we some real good calypsos! But dis year, it din so! Mebbee it is time to move aside an’ gi’e some o’ de young calypsonians a chance – after all, dem mussee got driving licences! RPB an’ Gabby should ack like “elder statesmen” an’ lef’ out de competitions! Looka how good it was to see John King performin’ dat night as a gues’ artis’! Follow he example an’ leh somebody else win de cars! I c’n believe dem results, faif! People like Chrystal, Announcer (po’ fella, I en know why, but somebody really don’ like he!), Adonijah, Blood – not one o’ dem in de top five!
Come, come fellas, move over! We gine always love yuh, but is time to tek a bow!
Tek care o’ yuhselfYuh frien’ Babsie