IF I WAS the people at the Water Authority, I would listen tuh and do what the Prime Minister say when he tell dem tuh talk tuh the people.
I agree whole-heartedly wid Freundel Stuart. Evahbody does say dat he doan talk much, if at all, and sometimes ya does wonder if something wrong wid he mout and when he does open it, a lot o’ people doan always like wha’ he does be saying. But recently he open he mout and say something dat I totally agree wid.
He tell the people at the Barbados Water Authority dat they should talk tuh the people. He was talking bout the people in the country areas who ain’t getting water, especially the people in St Joseph who ain’t see running water in duh homes since last year. He was talking ’bout the people who feel like if duh getting punish fuh something dat duh ain’t know nutten bout. He was talking bout the people who living, working, paying taxes, eating, breathing and living just like me and you, but duh suffering and nuhbody ain’t seem tuh want tuh listen tuh or understand their plight. It must be real hard fuh these poor people.
The thing is, all it takes sometimes is fuh somebody tuh listen and show some kinda empathy ya know. The thing is dat it could happen tuh any o’ we ‘cause none o’ we ain’t got nuh kinda control ovah anythng. All o’ we depending pon the same rain water tuh fill the same reservoirs in order tuh see water running when we turn on the pipes.
If some people could only put demselves in other peoples shoes, things would be a whole lot different. Evahbody ain’t gine be the same nor get on the same way when duh face these kinda challenges and discomforts. Evahbody ain’t got the same needs. Evahbody doan be home when the day come tuh see if and when the water truck come, and even if somebody home, dat ain’t mean dat duh gine be able tuh run down a hill wid a bucket or some bottles tuh catch water and then carry dem back up a hill.
The other thing is, evahbody ain’t got a car or truck where they could get in it and go somewhere else on the island and bring back water, or even ask some other family members or friends from outside the area tuh bring and supply dem wid water on a regular basis. So some people suffering a lot more than others and tuh add insult tuh injury, duh still getting bills from the Water Authority. Some people even getting threats of disconnection. I cahn understand dat one yet.
Dat is why I agree wid the Prime Minister; talk tuh the people; duh gine through a real hard time. At least feel the people pain. Look, it does feel real good when you call a utility company, knowing dat you ain’t got the amount o’money tuh pay a bill and the body pon the other end, talk tuh you like duh understand your position. Duh doan only tell you dat duh understand how you feel or wha’ you going through, but instead o’ cutting you off, duh bare wid you while you pore out ya woes tuh dem. And look, even though you know dat ya still have tuh pay dat money eventually, nuh matter how sympathetic the body is, at least ya does feel a li’l better when ya come off the phone ’cause somebody listen.
Now these days real hot and all o’ we know the first thing ya does want tuh do when get through the door is tuh strip off dem sweaty all day clothes and get a nice long shower, and then tuh remember dat duh ain’t got nuh running water. You could only imagine the frustration.
I would like the people at the BWA tuh show some heart and put demselves in these people shoes. I doan know how long this gine go on for, but I pray fuh these poor folk sake dat duh get some ease soon; it is a long time tuh be in this sort o’ situation, especially when ya accustom tuh living wid these simple necessities.
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in The Orleans. She has an opinion on everything.
