Dear Nesta,
Well, well, look wuh been gine on in Britain over de pas’ monf, neh? One big bassa bassa involvin’ de police, politicians an’ dah newspaper, News O’ De Worl’! Only go to show dat evuh country got duh own scandal.
Imagine, all dese years dah paper been spyin’ ’pon people from all walks o’ life an’ exposin’ duh personal bizness – an’ gettin’ ’way wid it, too – ’cause people in high places been helpin’ duh all along! All I could say is dat de way dis worl’ gine nowadays, I wonder ef anybody lef fuh yuh to trus’! Tummuch corruption all over, faif – in high places as well as low! An’ it seem, de higher de place, mo’ de corruption!
I en know ef all de recent ruff an’ tumble up dey mek we own politicians wake up to de fack dat up to now, anti-corruption laws still hoverin’, widout showin’ any signs o’ settlin’ down an’ gettin’ pass in Parliament!
Las’ year when we get rate as de leas’ corrup’ in de region, it mek muh feel good, an’ I t’ought plans fuh de integrity legislation woulda finally go t’rough. Talks ’bout dah been gine on, fuh, I en know how long. Bofe parties does promise to mek it a priority whenevuh duh come to power, but dah’s all it does turn out to be – a bare promise.
Philomena say de subjeck too “techous” ’cause it en only politicians got to declare duh assets, but ethuhs involve too, civil servants, board members, duh spouses.
C’dear, wuh is de p’int o’ gettin’ a pick ’pon a board an’ feelin’ high an’ mighty ’bout it, ef all yuh bizzness mus’ come out!
In de las’ election, de present guvment promise to tackle de problem an’ sence gettin’ in, duh did mek a effort, but de subjeck jes’ get put ’way fuh anethuh time – mussee tummuch to declare! Now, integrity legislation in de news agen! Mebbee guvment know somet’ing we en know, an’ as duh cyahn mek it anethuh “election promise”, better to bite de bullet an’ try to get it outta de way.
Right now, neithuh “in-tegrity” nor “out-tegrity” legislation ’pon much people min’s! Las’ Friduh night, at de calypso Finals, “king Gabby” los’ ’e t’rone to a sweet-soun’in’ newcomer name Popsicle, dat had de crowd lickin’ outa ’e han’, but as nusual, de women en get nowhey! Dem gine ha’ lef’ Bim to get dah prize!
Durin’ dis Crop Over, Bajans been fettin’ like dey was no tomorrow, an’ t’ree days from now, gine be de high p’int o’ dese festivities when we own Ri Ri, now a big worl’ star, perform at Kensington befo’ a sell-out crowd!
You cyahn imagine how de excitement buil’in’ up. I en know whey de money comin’ from, but it seem de worl’ an’ ’e wife, ole, young an’ in-between – all in new outfits, new shoes, new weaves, new nails, new evuhting – gettin’ ready to step out in style Friduh night, August 5th!
Ri Ri a’ready ’pon de rock, an’ I en know how true, but I hear nuff overseas visitors suppose to be comin’ in so I lookin’ to hear dat a mob o’ ton o’ money get spen’ – after all, it cos’in’ we mo’ dan $4 million! I sorry yuh cyahn come down, faif! Evuht’ing gine be . . . . LOUD!!
Tek care o’ yuhself
Yuh frien’ Babsie
