Carolyn Cooper | Dem better lef Cockpit Country alone!

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

Mi no know a which school dem ya dunce-bat politician go! JLP an PNP! It look like seh dem ongle study bandooloo. Dem never tek history, geography, biology, social studies, economics, law. Nutten like dat! An as fi environmental studies! Dem couldn’t pass dat at all, at all.

Look how di eedyat politician dem a try gi foreigner leave an licence fi dig down Cockpit Country fi tek out bauxite! Dem head so thick, dem no understand seh Cockpit Country a di heart, di blood an di lungs fi di whole a Jamaica? A deh so wi water come from. An wen wi mek di foreigner dem dig out di bauxite an dump dem chemical an it get weh eena di water, a wi a go poison!

So wa mek di politician dem can’t see dat? Hugh Dixon fi tell oonoo! Im a one a di hero dem weh a stand up an fight fi protect Cockpit Country. Hear weh im seh, ascorden to Gleaner: “All I can say to Jamaicans is, you have no allies or representatives in the Parliament brave enough to stand up and say no bauxite mining in any part of the Cockpit Country landscape. It is we against the legislators and their corporate buddies.”

DEM READY FI SELL WI OUT

Wi can’t depend pon govament fi defend wi. All dem a see a di foreign money. Govament join up wid Noranda, one American company, fi form Noranda Bauxite Limited (NBL), one private company eena Jamaica. Govament own 51 per cent a di company an NBL own di rest. An Govament sign agreement fi NBL dig out bauxite clear a 2030. An NBL ha fi gi dem a money offa all a di bauxite dem tek out.

Noranda waah dig out bauxite eena Cockpit Country. An Govament weh own most a di company – pon paper – dem ready fi sell wi out fi lickle or nutten. Dem no business bout wa a go happen to Jamaica 50 year from now or 100 year. Dem no care bout di generation dem weh a come.

Di politician dem talk like seh dem a protect di whole a Cockpit Country. Nutten no go so. A ongle one lickle piece dem a defend. Dem waah draw line round weh dem a call Cockpit Country. An lef out one whole heap a it! An a so Noranda would a able fi dig out di bauxite outa di big broad Cockpit Country. An mash it up. An Govament a gwaan like seh dem a protect it!

Andrew Holness im gi big speech a Denbigh. Im seh, “I want it to be absolutely clear to the Jamaican citizens that this Government is the Government of the environment.” Wa dat mean? Im seh one study do fi find out if bauxite mining would a have any bad effect pon Cockpit Country. Dat deh report no come out yet.

Me never hear bout nuh study weh stop Govament from do weh dem done mek up dem mind fi do. Wi a fi stand up wid di fighter dem weh a struggle fi protect Cockpit Country. Di whole a it. A wi future wi a defend. Dat worth plenty more than di lickle money weh Govament a go get from di bauxite company. Wen Noranda get wa dem waah an gone, a wi a go lef wid di whole heap a problem. An di politician dem nah go know weh fi do. Dem never learn dat eena school.

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

Mi no nuo a wich skuul dem ya dons-bat palitshan go! JLP an PNP! It luk laik se dem ongl stodi banduulu. Dem neva tek ischri, jaagrafi, baiyalaji, soshal stodiz, iikanamiks, laa. Notn laik dat. An az fi envairanmental stodiz! Dem kudn paas dat at aal, at aal.

Luk ou di iidyat palitishan dem a chrai gi farina liiv an laisn fi dig dong Kakpit Konchri fi tek out baksait! Dem ed so tik, dem no andastan se Kakpit Konchri a di aat, di blod an di longz fi di uol a Jamieka? A de so wi wata kom fram. An wen wi mek di farina dem dig out di baksait an domp dem kemikal an it get we iina di waata, a wi a go paizn!

So wa mek di palitishan dem kyaahn si dat? Hugh Dixon fi tel unu! Im a wan a di iiro dem we a stan op an fait fi protek Kakpit Konchri. Ier we im se, azkaadn tu Gleaner: “All I can say to Jamaicans is, you have no allies or representatives in the Parliament brave enough to stand up and say no bauxite mining in any part of the Cockpit Country landscape. It is we against the legislators and their corporate buddies.”

DEM REDI FI SEL WI OUT

Wi kyaahn dipan pan govament fi difen wi. Aal dem a si a di farin moni. Govament jain op wid Noranda, wan Amerikan kompini, fi faam Noranda Bauxite Limited (NBL), wan praivit kompini iina Jamieka. Govament uon 51% a di kompini an NBL uon di res. An Govament sain agriiment fi NBL dig out baksait klier a 2030. An NBL a fi gi dem a moni aafa aal a di baksait dem tek out.

Noranda waa dig out baksait iina Cockpit Country. An Govament we uon muos a di kompini – pan piepa – dem redi fi sel wi out fi likl ar notn. Dem no bizniz bout wa a go apn tu Jamieka 50 ier fram nou aar 100 ier. Dem no kya bout di jinarieshan dem we a kom.

Di palitishan dem taak laik se dem a protek di uol a Kakpit Konchri. Notn no go so. A ongl wan likl piis dem a difen. Dem waan jraa lain roun we dem a kaal Kakpit Konchri. An lef out wan uol iip a it! An a so Noranda wuda iebl fi dig out di baksait outa di big braad Kakpit Konchri. An mash it op. An Govament a gwaan laik se dem a protek it.

Andrew Holness im gi big spiich a Denbigh. Im se, “I want it to be absolutely clear to the Jamaican citizens that this Government is the Government of the environment.” Wa dat miin? Im se wan stodi du fi fain out if baksait mainin wuda av eni bad ifek pan Kakpit Konchri. Dat de ripourt no kom out yet.

Mii neva ier bout nuo stodi we stap Govament fram du we dem don mek op dem main fi du. Wi a fi stan op wid di faita dem we a schrogl fi protek Kakpit Konchri. Di uol a it. A wi fyuucha wi a difen. Dat wort plenti muor dan di likl moni we Govament a go get fram di baksait kompini. Wen Noranda get wa dem waa an gaan, a wi a go lef wid di uol iip a prablem. An di palitishan dem naa go nuo we fi du. Dem neva lorn dat iina skuul.

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