SOMETIMES I WONDER what does be going through people heads when duh go and do all kinds o’ wrong things to other people or tuh people property – like the body or bodies who take it pon demselves tuh break out the windows in the people churches up there in St Thomas the other day or night.
Four whole churches dem targeted like the churches do dem something. I could understand if it was one specific church ’cause ya might think dat the body or bodies had some kind o’ issue wid somebody in dat church and take revenge pon the people church. but they were all different types of churches. All four o’ dem was in the same Shop Hill area: Bethel House of Prayer and Worship, The Shop Hill Church of the Nazarene, Phillipi United Pentecostal Church and Centenary Moravian Church. It is just plain wickedness.
Now cud dear, the people ain’t do dem nothing. Nuhbody wasn’t even in the church but whoevah he, she or it was decide dat the windows tuh these four churches want brekking out. So, dem take it pon demselves tuh pick up big rocks and brek out the people glass panes wid dem and gone ’long ’bout dem business like nutten ain’t happen.
Now when the police finally catch up pon dem vagabonds and bring dem before the law courts, you won’t believe dat it does be the same people who does be begging the magistrate tuh give dem a chance tuh mend duh ways. Tuh make better of demselves. Tuh change the road duh gine down or turn a new leaf because dem get carried away by bad company and a whole lot o’ junk.
Duh got another set o’ dem who does wait and watch people go off tuh work evah single day rain or shine, then go in duh houses and carry way the few possessions duh wuk hard as tail for. Now they would go and sell dem off tuh buy drugs. Dem too does get up in the court playing dem begging and saying dat they know they have a drug problem and need help and dat dem ain’t wasting the court’s time so dem confessing and throwing duhselves on the mercy of the court. Hear dem: please doan send me tuh prison, I ain’t belong in there. They would prefer tuh go tuh the Psychiatric Hospital fuh treatment or Verdun House. Duh got duh good sense, hear wha’ I tell ya.
And what about the ones who when the police catch dem wid the big lot o’ drugs either selling or growing and worth thousands o’ dollars? Some o’ dem does be so boldfaced; duh does stand up in the people court and tell the magistrate dat he is the breadwinner in the family. Work hard tuh get and this is how he does support he family. They does tell the magistrate that dem got a few youts tuh support so dem doan want tuh go tuh prison, dem would prefer a fine. You could imagine dat?
Look, I does have tuh laugh and shake my head when I read some o’ the court cases. People like tuh do as duh please, when duh please and tuh who duh please and then duh ain’t want tuh get caught nor punished. It doan make nuh kinda sense tuh me at all but tuh dem it does, I suppose.
I cahn understand; if you bold enough tuh go and commit a crime you should not be a coward and run. I think you should stand up and face the consequences like a man or woman; wha after all, you is the body who deliberately do it.
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in The Orleans. She has an opinion on everything.
