Friday, March 29, 2024

MAVIS BECKLES: A brighter and better New Year

Date:

Share post:

WELL, here we are peeping in tuh a brand new year, 2014 – one o’ the strangest New Year’s evah. I must also admit dat I have nevah lived through a time like this one now; especially experiencing the things dat
I have experienced in the past year. And from the way how things looking and going, it look like we have even more hard times tuh experience in this coming year.
I believe dat we are going tuh make it through these rough times. We have tuh because our parents and grandparents prove it by living through the times o’ the World War and coming out tuh be better, stronger people. From the things my mother and father tell me, dem prove how resilient dem was; so dat is why we have tuh be strong and do the same thing fuh we lil people.
We is a resilient people, of course; not only we Bajans but we Caribbean people. We have weathered many a storm ovah the years and have still come out strong. We have lived through hurricanes, storms, coups, riots and shoot outs, bad Governments and wha’evah else you could think bout and this Caribbean is still a most beautiful place tuh live.
We are so vulnerable tuh all the big weather systems dat does be coming off the African coast year after year and we have tuh be thankful tuh the great almighty fuh sparing we time and time again. Of course, duh gine be times when we gine have tuh experience and deal wid some kinda weather system dat might cause we some grief like the one dat just happen there in Dominica, St Lucia and St Vincent, just as long as we remember dat if it could happen tuh dem, it could also happen tuh we.
But look at dah though nuh? I doan think dat anybody woulda evah believe dat anything like this coulda evah happen at this kinda time o’ the year. I believe dat the Caribbbean breathe a sigh o’ relief after we went through a whole hurricane season and ain’t had tuh deal wid nuh kinda major system. So evahbody had now turn duh attention on tuh the Christmas season. This thing really catch people off-guard.
I know some o’ all kind o’ freaky, strange things does happen around this time o’ the year, but I doan think anybody saw this one coming. Look, around this time o’ the year fuh some strange reason ya does hear bout house fires, some kinda domestic confusion, some tragic accident on the roads, something or the other, but not rain, flooding, not upper level trough, nutten tuh do wid the weather system. As far as we are concerned, all o’ dat sorta thing so does be done and gone by the end o’ the hurricane season, November, or so we thought.
But while evahbody wasn’t looking or done looking, relax and start tuh plan tuh enjoy Christmas, the festive season, up steps this system dat drops in wid-out any kinda warning and do a bundle o’ damage including take the lives of a good few people in three islands.
So now who is tuh blame? I doan even think dat the very weather people had any idea dat this system would do summuch damage. Yes, we had some rain and thing here Christmas Eve day, during the night and Christmas Day but nothing like the kinda rain dat ya would expect tuh wash way bridges, cars, homes and even people. I mean, nuhbody was expecting anything like this.
I had tuh collect a brother o’ mine Christmas morning fuh lunch at one o’ my sisters’ house and he is the body who tell me ’bout the lot o’ damage and death in these islands. I could not believe it. I felt so very sad fuh these people but it was worst when I actually see the kinda damage later pon the news. It was heartbreaking.
This is really a major setback fuh these poor people who at this time are bracing fuh the economical rough seas ahead, and now this. Ya know wha gotta happen now? Well it means dat we gotta push we own problems aside and reach out in mercy and love and help we own Caribbean brothers and sisters.
I pray dat our people will be giving, keep praying for a brighter tomorrow and God will in turn keep watch ovah this li’l nation Barbados and all the other the islands of the sea.
 
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in The Orleans. She has an opinion on everything.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related articles

Natassia’s journey from tragedy to triumph

In a world often characterised by turbulence and uncertainty, a beacon of hope often emerges from some of...

No decision yet on Lester Vaughan School

A firm decision has not yet been made regarding when the Lester Vaughan School will be reopened. Following a...

BDF to conduct simulation exercise on April 2 & 3

The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) will conduct a Mass Casualty Simulation Exercise from Tuesday, April 2, to Wednesday,...

Barbadians reminded to file taxes online as filing season starts

The Barbados Revenue Authority (the BRA) is advising that tax filing season for 2023 begins on April 1 this...