BUT LOOKA WHA’ there’s a thing nuh?
A father, after pleading, begging and fighting fuh years tuh get custody of his three children, in one week he could get a hearing, custody and a relocation tuh another country fuh the same children. All in one week, hear?
As duh say, “Wha’ doan happen in a year does happen in a day.”
So wha’ happen tuh the lot o’ red tape duh does got ’bout here? Who cut it loose? Who cut it up?
Heh heyyyy look, ya gotta forgive me: I might be a li’l ignernt tuh certain things, but this is wha’ got me: it seems like evahbody was involved in this thing and somehow nuhbody like duh wasn’t really listening, and as a result, three poor li’l children had tuh suffer and endure abuse fuh years.
Thank God today a loving family is both reunited and relocated too.
But credit must be given tuh all the caring neighbours who got involved tuh the point of, as one man said, going tuh the Child Care Board on three occasions tuh let dem know about the abuse these children were experiencing.
Credit is also due tuh the people at THE NATION newspaper who took the story and run wid it all the way tuh England.
I doan care wha’ nuhbody say ’bout THE NATION, it started off as this kind of publication where it investigated and exposed wrong things in this country, much tuh the dislike and discomfort of a lot o’ people ’bout hey.
It always got the attention of the public and dat is the role it must continue tuh play.
People could talk wha’ duh like when it suits dem or doan suit dem fuh dat matter, but somebody gotta do the dirty work, somebody gotta get down in the trenches, and if it is THE NATION, well . . . . I say, keep on keeping on.
I look in the papers and see dat duh didn’t leave the story just hanging there after the father got custody. When the children was set tuh travel back tuh England wid their father, duh even send along a photographer and a reporter all the way up tuh England ’pon the same plane wid the family and have been keeping us who care abreast wid the whole situation.
I ain’t know, hear? I don’t know what is going on at the Child Care Board, but something ain’t happening right. Something is very, very wrong.
Now when in one year so many strange things could be happening tuh children and people have been saying how dem either phone the Child Care Board or even went there and still li’l children could be seeing suh much hell dat could’ve been prevented . . . . I ain’t know, something gotta be wrong.
The Minister Steve Blackett say it is a excellent organisation or duh doing a excellent job . . . something so, but wha’ he saying and what we seeing and hearing ain’t adding up at all: the results ain’t coming out right ’cause the children still getting hurt all the time.
But getting back tuh the children and their father: it looks like everything is working out fuh dem. Ya see the pictures wid the mayor, wid the children playing in the park, interacting wid other family members, all kinds o’ things and reading what other family members said about the whole situation.
It brought tears tuh my eyes tuh see the things dat the neighbours say these poor li’l children went through could’ve been avoided.
I pray dat these children adjust well tuh their new family, school, home, the cool weather and this whole new environment. I also pray dat duh get good counselling which would help dem tuh put the bad past behind dem and try tuh adjust tuh the new family and friends.
I pray fuh the father; he has his hands full and a lot on his plate, but, ya know, he has a big heart and I pray dat the love he is showing tuh other underprivileged children up there in his adopted home, his children will reap the blessings.
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in She has an opinion on everything.
