Thursday, March 28, 2024

BLABBERMOUT’ BABSIE: After al de fuss, Budget day come – an’ gone!

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Dear Nesta,
Budget Day come roun’ las’ week full o’ soun’ an’ fury, sayin’ exackly neffin to me! To begin wid, it did much too long! All dem words only help to tie up muh head in knots, so I had to turn to anethuh channel fuh li’l relief!
I decide to wait an’ go t’rough de highlights de nex’ day – it mo’ easy dah way fuh me to see in black an’ white exackly wuh de minister want we to onderstan’ – but doh I read it mo’ dan once, I c’n fin’ one bless-ed t’ing in it fuh me an’ ethuhs like me.
I start gettin’ mo’ an’ mo’ depress as I went down de lis’! Y’see, I not in de hotel industry, I don’ owe no lan’ tax (t’ank God!) to benefit from a amnesty, I en need no chile support, I en got no chile at UWI to get help from de NIS fun’s – aldoh when it come to dah Scheme, I wonder hummuch mo’ times Guvment gine keep dippin’ in dah pot!
I en a farmer, I not in no renewable energy bizness, I en got no international bizness comp’ny to get no reduction in tax rates to encourage muh to stay ’pon de islan’, I en no developer or manufacturer to gain from a tax holiduh – none o’ dem t’ings don’ help me! After a while, I jes’ stupse an’ fling ’way de paper ’cause to keep on readin’, I woulda only inflick mo’ pain ’pon muhself! Yuh onderstan’ now why I say it do exackly neffin fuh me?  
Was it tummuch to ax fuh li’l ease in muh pocket in muh day-to-day livin’? I had to remark to Philomena dat people like “we-so” does get loss-way in de crush, or mebbee I should say “rush”, an’ de bes’ t’ing is to look to de Lord at all times! He en a “D”, “B”, “P” nor “Zee”!         
Perhaps it was plain desperation to fin’ some relief in de Budget dat ’cause Philomena to be so foolish as to start arguin’ dat BARP members was now to get relief from VAT! She was arguin’ strong, strong dat she hear de minister use de word “retirees” an’ dah could only mean de members o’ BARP! I advise she to lissen real careful any time de minister speakin’ so she don’ lose de true sense o’ wuh he sayin’!
Dis is a ease fuh BARP as a organization and not fuh she nor de 25 000 or so members! I en know how some people could be so stupid, faif! It mek muh wonder hummuch mo’ members had de same impression as Philomena!
But she vexation din en’ dey. Y’know a’ready how techy she is when it come to CLICO! She get mo’ depress dan evuh after de minister done talkin’ ’bout dah comp’ny. Aldoh he en actually say so, she now gettin’ de impression dat ’e tryin’ to prepare dem dat de final outcome could be far from wuh evuhbody expeckin’! She “golden years” like duh turnin’ to dull brass, yuh!  
You don’ know hummuch times I go down ’pon dese two knees an’ t’ank de Mighty Jehovah dat I din’ get ketch in dah net! It real wide, yuh, people enuff – some yuh won’ believe – fall in it! All o’ duh certainly din’ “look befo’ duh leap”, an’ now it seem to me as ef ’nuff ’nuff Bajans gine en’ up wid legs dat brek in mo’ dan one place! Well, de onlies’ t’ing I could gi’e duh is my deepes’ sympat’y! I cyahn help wid money, I en got none!
Anyhow, I tell Philomena don’ fret! Who knows ef anethuh Budget en gine appear befo’ dat very impo’tant event”! She tears might turn to smiles!
Tek care o’ yuhself
Yuh frien’ Babsie

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