“Sing a song of friendship.
“A tall bag full o’ smoke.”
These could well be some of the lyrics for a song any calypsonian might write on the saga between two friends this Crop Over.
Since one kaiso bard wrote a fiery song about non-unity and betrayal for this season’s contest, another has taken serious umbrage to it – which we found unusual since the latter hardly ever responds to criticism.
But harsh words from a friend can cut deeper than a knife, so the lyrics in the popular tent song triggered a reaction that has reverberated all the way to West Terrace and even as far away as the land of calypso, Trinidad and Tobago.
We also heard of possible court action but so far both friends are remaining mum on the topic – with the writer of the controversial song saying that any words would simply aggravate the situation.
We may be wrong but we usually are not. That’s why we cannot help but wonder whether the song’s writer didn’t foresee all this since he penned the vexing words in a heated moment. He would’ve spent days, even weeks and probably months poring over the content of this song.
But Cou Cou hopes for the sake of this much-cherished friendship that when the smoke clears by the end of Crop Over, no one would be seeing red.
Not so fast!
A major public relations disaster was averted this week after a statutory body was prepared, albeit belatedly, to exercise its authority to collect monies owed. But quick action by the minister responsible stopped the action and the Government getting egg all over its face for being insensitive.
From what Cou Cou was told, the corporation decided that these people who owe Government millions of dollars in rent should be made an example of. So a decision was taken to send his staff to lock down the buildings and refuse to allow them to operate until some cash was paid.
Unfortunately, one of the people involved got wind of the plan and quickly made a few calls, which pressed the minister into action.
It is understood the minister had to explain to the top man at the corporation that the action, though needed, should not have been contemplated at that time since some of the same people affected had been in the news all weekend complaining about their plight.
The minister reportedly told the boss man that it would make Government seem totally insensitive and uncaring, particularly to the scores of people who would immediately suffer as a result of the action.
Cou Cou was told that some of the people involved are saying the boss man is really only a doctor in name as a real one would never be trying in these harsh times to extract blood from stone.
Rumour or fact?
Cou Cou’s phones were hot this week with reports of a senior man leaving the ruling team to sit as an Independent in the House of Assembly.
The people who called were adamant the information was accurate, given the individual’s apparent unhappy demeanour since the general elections.
They said that the individual had been pushed from pillar to post for years, so he was right to make his move because as a person of competence he could no longer associate himself with what was described as folly passing for policy.
However, those close to the individual laughed off the idea as a pure fabrication of mischief-makers and Opposition operatives.