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Carolyn Cooper | Fire-bun arcade no fix fi six year!

Published:Sunday | April 21, 2019 | 12:00 AM

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

Last week Sunday, mi get a email from one vendor weh sell a Pearnel Charles Arcade. So mi get it, so mi gi it:

“Good day Ms Cooper, I read your article in Gleaner (14/4/19) amongst other things, about the state of the Papine Market roof that was destroyed by fire eleven months ago. I am wondering how would you react to a section of the Pearnel Charles Arcade roof that was destroyed by fire seven years ago this August.

“Ms Cooper, we the vendors would love if you could come and have a look for yourself and see the deplorable state the burnt out section is in. We await your visit with bated breath but while we wait don’t worry, we won’t ‘heng or drown’.

Thanks in advance.”

Wednesday gone, mi go a di arcade fi see fi miself. An wen mi look up an see di hell of a hole weh di roof did deh, mi couldn’t believe it. Di vendor seh wen rain fall, di arcade wash weh.

If mi was Pearnel Charles, mi wuda shame fi mi name clap on pon dat deh fire-burn arcade. Pon top a dat, di arcade deh pon Church Street. Di said same street weh Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) deh.

Nobody eena di Corporation no know seh di arcade roof fi fix?

Den di best joke: mi a nyam up miself bout how long it a tek fi fix Papine Market roof. An di vendor im a seh, im no know how dem a fix it so ‘expeditiously’. Im seh a mussi tru Fayval Williams a di MP fi di area. Im no know wa Desmond McKenzie a do fi dem. An im a di minister fi local govament.

Oonu see how di vendor waan get mi eena mix up! Mi can force Govament fi do wa dem suppose fi do? All mi can do a write bout dem slackness an try shame dem. But it look like seh Govament shame tree dead, dead. JLP an PNP. A ongle election time one lickle sprig come out. An dem start mek noise bout wa dem a go do fi wi.

WALTER RODNEY EXHIBITION

Next story, same problem wid Govament. October gone, di University of the West Indies Museum put up one exhibition bout di Walter Rodney autoclaps eena 1968. Im a di man weh did come from Guyana an dida teach history a di university. Im never teach ongle pon campus. Im did go outa road an a reason wid di people dem bout African history an black power. An bout how Govament a look after Missis Queen business. No fi wi!

Rodney set example fi university lecturer eena dem country fi use dem knowledge fi mek life better fi poor people. Govament tek set pon Rodney an ban im from Jamaica. An di student dem did march fi difen im. Mi did tek part eena di march an mi a go gi one talk bout it pon Wednesday, April 24, 2 o’clock, eena di Museum. It free an di public welcome. Di exhibition up til next month. Oono fi come see it! Nuff fire-bun!

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELLIN

Laas wiik Sonde, mi get a iimiel fram wan venda we sel a Pearnel Charles Arcade. So mi get it, so mi gi it:

“Good day Ms Cooper, I read your article in Gleaner (14/4/19) amongst other things, about the state of the Papine Market roof that was destroyed by fire eleven months ago. I am wondering how would you react to a section of the Pearnel Charles Arcade roof that was destroyed by fire seven years ago this August.

“Ms Cooper, we the vendors would love if you could come and have a look for yourself and see the deplorable state the burnt out section is in. We await your visit with bated breath but while we wait don’t worry, we won’t ‘heng or drown’.

Thanks in advance.”

Wenzde gaan, mi go a di aakied fi si fi miself. An wen mi luk op an si di el af a uol we di ruuf did de, mi kudn biliiv it. Di venda se wen rien faal, di aakied wash we.

If mi woz Pearnel Charles, mi wuda shiem fi mi niem klap aan pan dat de faiya-bon aakied. Pan tap a dat, di aakied de pan Church Street. Di sed siem schriit we Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) de.

Nobad iina di Corporation no nuo se di aakiied ruuf fi fiks?

Den di bes juok: mi a nyam op miself bout ou lang it a tek fi fiks Papine Market ruuf. An di venda im a se, im no nuo ou dem a fiks it so ‘expeditiously’. Im se a mosi chruu Fayval Williams a di MP fi di ierya. Im no nuo wa Desmond McKenzie a du fi dem. An im a di minista fi luokal govament.

Unu si ou di venda waahn get mi iina miks op! Mi kyahn fuors Govament fi du wa dem sopuoz fi du? Aal mi kyan du a rait bout dem slaknis an chrai shiem dem. Bot it luk laik se Govament shiem chrii ded, ded. JLP an PNP. A ongl ilekshan taim wan likl sprig kom out. An dem staat mek nais bout wa dem a go du fi wi.

WALTER RODNEY EXHIBITION

Neks tuori, siem prablem wid Govament. Aktuoba gaan, di University of the West Indies Museum put op wan eksibishan bout di Walter Rodney aataklaps iina1968. Im a di man we did kom fram Gaiyana an dida tiich ischri a di yuunivorsiti. Im neva tiich ongl pan kyampos. Im did go outa ruod an a riizn wid di piipl dem bout Afrikan ischri an blak pouwa. An bout ou Govament a luk aafta Misiz Kwiin bizniz. No fi wi!

Rodney set eksaampl fi yuunivorsiti lekchara iina dem ya konchri fi yuuz dem nalif fi mek laif beta fi puor piipl. Govament tek set pan Rodney an ban im fram Jamieka. An di styuudent dem did maach fi difen im. Mi did tek paat iina di maach an mi a go gi wan taak bout it pan Wenzde, Iepril 24, 2 aklak, iina di Myuuzium. It frii an di poblik welkom. Di eksibishan op til neks mont. Unu fi kom siit! Nof faiya-bon!

- Carolyn Cooper, PhD, is a specialist on culture and development. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com.