…..Villages in T&T pledge to do the same
The Rum Posse met a few days ago for their usual weekly ole talk, this time by Alfred who wanted to have the lime by him before October since, as a true Tobagonian, he said he had to be in Tobago for that island’s carnival. As expected, on the menu were all things Tobago including some dishes that some of them had never heard of, even after all this time liming with Alfred.
There was blue dasheen, congotay, cassava dumplings, curry crab, stew flying fish, and bake and saltfish buljol. The bar was complete having all the drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, as well as the Tobago fisherman’s favourite energiser, pacro water.
The Posse members were not in the frame of mind to talk about any heavy matters and when trying to decide on what they should talk about, Big Bottom Beverly said she came across an article in the Express about an English village whose inhabitants had voted to leave the UK. A tiny English village, Piddington, had seceded as a symbolic protest against the UK government that was planning to house 1,200 asylum seekers on a nearby military base.
Residents of Piddington, with a population of about 350, voted overwhelmingly for secession from the UK in the non-binding referendum. The results showed 285 votes in favour of seceding, with 26 villagers voting against. “We have given an absolute message, not just to the region, not just to the country, but to the world” said the chairman of Piddington, Tim McNally.
The Posse members were quite intrigued and loved that article so much they decided that it would be their topic of the week, especially since they felt that there were lots of villages and districts in Trinidad that had a strong case for seceding and forming their own principalities. Some of the Posse members wanted to include some villages in Tobago but Alfred asked them to leave Tobago out of their “kangatang” since the whole of Tobago wanted to secede (in a manner of speaking) from Trinidad.
Present at the meeting were Big Bottom Beverly and her younger sister, Shirley; Barman; Balkie; Ramesh; Roshan; and Sunil. For the second week in a row, Rihanna and Anand were absent, understandably so, since a few days before, Rihanna had given birth to a 7 ½ lb bouncing baby boy.
Alfred: Welcome everybody. I glad allyuh could make it by this evening. My turn might not come around again until November since you know I have to be in Tobago for Carnival in October. And today we have to celebrate the first and possibly de only Posse baby. Rihanna make a boy de other day so you know Anand happy like pappy. He beaming so much, he face lighting up de darkest night. I eh have to tell allyuh that we go have to pay a little visit to the happy couple and each ah we go walk with a twenty-five-cent piece to put in de baby hand.
Big Bottom Beverly: Thanks, Alfie. As de sole Tobagonian, you making we little Posse a true, true, national group. That is unless allyuh get allyuh way and get autonomy or try and secede like de little village in England. But before we go there, ah glad you talk about going and see de little one and placing a 25 cent piece in de baby hand. Dat is what we used to do long time. I eh even know if they still doing that.
Nowadays is gender reveal and baby shower and thing. But time for dat pass, but we all going and chip in and put together a nice basket of goodies for the baby. I had a friend, when she make she chile she see de husband walk in de hospital with a big basket wrap up nice, nice. My girl was feeling good thinking she husband bringing her a basket ah goodies. Allyuh know it was thing for de baby. Was a boy, too. The basket was full ah all kind ah balls. Cricket ball, tennis ball, football, basketball, down to golf ball and all. But we eh go do down that road. We go fix up we business proper. Now back to de topic at hand.
Alfred: Me eh know ‘bout allyuh in Trinidad, but we in Tobago done half-way secede already. We have everything and we even better off than allyuh and some ah dem other small countries like St Lucia and Dominica who already have dey independence. But let me hear which villages in Trinidad want to secede.
Barman: De village what vote to leave de UK really carry out an attention-grabbing exercise. But I feel it have real villages in Trinidad that want to secede for plenty reasons including crime, unemployment and de high cost of living. De list long, long.. I know of one place for sure that will be de first to secede. Dat place is Cashew Gardens. When I read of de suffering dat dem does undergo on any given day, I just had was to shake my head.
Alfred: Why Cashew Gardens, Barman?
Roshan: Alfie boy, Cashew Gardens have to be one of de most neglected housing developments in Trinidad & Tobago. It is hidden away in Central Trinidad. For more than twenty years the residents have been fed empty promises. They say they feel abandoned. If allyuh see bad road. Some of de potholes so big, you cyah see de hood of your car when yuh go in dem. Doh talk ‘bout de drainage; it have none. Public transportation is non-existent and there is unmolested drug activity throughout de area. In fact, it look like Trinidad secede from Cashew Gardens long time now.
Ramesh: I know the area. The way I see it, Cashew Gardens should declare independence from Trinidad. They should put up a big entrance gate and an exit gate and anybody who want to come, if you not from de area, you have to get a visa. Dey should print dey own money and call it de cashew dollars. Dey should also have dey own home-grown security and overnight home invasions and drugs go be brought under control. Dis declaration of independence go be a victory for people power and local democracy. And ah sure other neglected villages go follow them.
Sunil: Yes, Ramesh, is true. Places like Blanchisseuse and Mundo Nuevo dat behind God back done secede already and dey eh even know. Nobody in de government eh really care bout dem, and dey does ketch dey nennen to get basic amenities. Doh talk bout employment. Young people in dem villages have no hope of getting ah wuk from de government or from business. I does really feel sorry for dem. Dey does only see dey MP once in every five years when dey come with ah bag of promises dat dey cyar keep. Man, all dem villages dat suffering in Trinidad should secede.
Shirley: It had a 1949 movie, Passport to Pimlico, about a London neighbourhood that wanted to secede from England. I eh know what was de result ah dat, but what is important for we to know is that villages seceding from dey country is as old as de hills.
Alfred: Tobago eh have no village dat want to secede. De people in Tobago happy as pappy so leh we secede from this old talk and go and enjoy mih eats and drinks.
Until next week
