Since the tragedy of hurricane Erika mash up Dominica, the
loss of life and devastation was pun a scale unprecedented in de region, I not
even sure how many people dead but we know it is many and most of de damage was
from de raging waters and de overflowing rivers of the Nature Isle. My Domincan
friends boast to have a Ree-Va (river) fuh every day of de year, Dominica is a
place of diverse beauty, many many rivers, magnificent waterfalls, majestic
mountains, plenty fruit growing in every direction and friendly caring people.
Years ago doing some work in Dominca I met several people who today I number
among my friends, I stayed at a place called de Layou River Inn pun de Layou
river and after work I use to rush home to go and jump into the river fuh a
swim.My middle daughter Alana was bout 8 years old and she use jump into the
river upstream and coming flying down like a Olympic swimmer and me and de
madam would catch her as she came powering down, “do it again daddy” she would
shout and away she would go, jumping into de waters again and again to swim fast
wid de currents.
Dem same beautiful waters would have been among de
unfriendliest when hurricane Erika touch down and being as far away from dat
river woulda mean de difference between life and death, nature, majestic and
beautiful one day, bringing joy and excitement, de next bringing death and
destruction.
In de aftermath of de mayhem when even de airport at
Melville hall get shut down, de people of Bubbadus rallied to de call fuh help,
I can’t tell what de final tally is but I suspect dat millions of dollars in
aid get raise by people, from community groups to service clubs, churches,
musicians and entertainers, one private group raise over $100,000.00 in cash,
well done South Central Entertainment, Paul Johnson sailed into Dominca twice
wid supplies in de immediate aftermath, media houses tek part in de efforts and
across Bubbadus de message was de same, One Caribbean, One people, it was
spontaneous and immediate, everybody wanted to help.
Two sundays ago Caribbean artistes lineup at Kensington oval
for a One Caribbean concert, they came from every part of the region, the
biggest and best names in the industry, they perform fuh free, airlines chipped
in with free seats, hotel wid accommodation, this Dominica response thing was
once again utterly amazing.
To de Vendor the signal point in all of dis was dat dese efforts
came from de people, not from governments in de region, yes Mia Mottley was de
convenor of one of the major efforts, de One Caribbean concert and she had
support from de Bubbadus government but de response in all dese fundraising
efforts mainly came from THE PEOPLE!
Once again I found myself asking how come it so hard fuh
Caribbean leaders to come together as one region, how come dis unity thing is
such a difficult pill fuh dem to swallow, how come we can’t get some to stop
loitering pun de steps of de British Privy Council and join the CCJ, how come
when some Caribbean people arrive in other Caribbean countries dem does get
treat like dem from Mars, how come we can’t share embassies and high
commissions, can’t speak wid one voice
pun a candidate fuh Commonwealth Secretary General but yet we de people in
times of crisis know dat we is one? I done know de answer, cause we de people
way ahead of de politicians, we de people been long integrating, through work,
marriage and relationships, friendships and experiences, we de people long fuh
de day when all ah we truly is one!
But it not gine happen until we de people send a message to
de people we elect to stop de foolishness, de pettiness and get on wid de job
of integrating de region into countries CONNECTED, not separated, by water!
I Market Vendor gone fuh now, you have a blessed and a
wonderful day, yuh hear?
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