Every year faithfully, come rain or shine on Independence Day, I would make sure dat I get up early and go out tuh see the Independence Day Parade.
I gine tell you, nuh matter how many times I see dat, it still fascinates me. It is a beautiful spectacle. But this year because Independence Day fell on the Saturday, I couldn’t do it along wid all the other things I usually do on Saturdays, so I had tuh miss it.
Anyway, by the time I got back in and turn on the TV, the parade was over and the troops were marching outta the parade grounds, so I ain’t even get tuh see none of it pon the television either.
But after dat was over, I sat down and listen tuh the Independence Day messages from the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader and the Bishop of the Catholic Church.
I have tuh admit dat I was truly impressed with and touched in different ways by all three o’ dem.
Work together
The message from the Prime Minister was good. He didn’t paint a picture of doom and gloom; neither did he sugar-coat the situation, but he delivered a message of hope and invited evahbody, all Barbadian citizens tuh brace demselves and work together fuh the good o’ the nation.
What he was saying made me sit down and listen ’cause it ain’t nuh sense trying tuh fool ya’self dat things ain’t bad. Duh real bad and I am sure dat all evahbody want right now is some kinda hope. So I know dat whoevah was watching the broadcast was holding on tuh dat.
The message was straightforward and tuh the point and because o’ the way it was written and presented, it made ya believe dat things were going tuh turn around. It gave you dat kinda hope.
The next person was the Opposition Leader Mia Mottley. Now she took a different approach. She wasn’t sitting down in nuh office, studio nor nothing so. She chose tuh do hers on the outside.
Now even though it was the same kinda message, about the same kinda issues, hers was very convincing and wid a little more emotion. Suh much so dat it tugged at ya heart strings and almost brought a tear tuh ya eye the way she painted the picture of what Barbados has become and where it seem tuh be going.
Then finally there was the Bishop of the Catholic Church. I think his name was Gordon. Again, a totally different approach. He took his from the angle of the words o’ the Barbados National Anthem.
It was interesting tuh see how he picked down every part o’ the Anthem and applied each section tuh the present everyday situations in Barbados. He talk ’bout the loyal sons and daughters; he talk ’bout the fields and hills and so many other parts of the Anthem dat seem tuh be ignored by some of our people, both young and old today.
Same things
What was most interesting in all three o’ these messages was dat all o’ dem want the same things and the same outcome fuh Barbados and it’s people and nuhbody wasn’t shouting, screaming nor hollering at the top o’ duh lungs like if doing dat would make people listen, change duh ways, undo all wrongs, make things happen or even go back tuh the Barbados we grow up in and have come tuh know and love.
Yes! We all love this little island; ask any Bajan from the highest tuh the lowest, the richest tuh the poorest, tuh the man pon the street, and they all tell you how much dem love duh country. Our only hope is tuh pray.
Oh! But before I go, a friend o’ mine call me telling me how some other friend o’ his tell he dat Mavis Beckles like she dead because he see a obituary in the paper wid the same name.
No! No! It ain’t this girl. I got a lot more work tuh do ’bout here. The Master ain’t ready fuh me, so I ain’t gine nuhwhere yet.
My condolences tuh dat woman’s family.
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in The Orleans. She has an opinion on everything.
