It’s a darn good thing I didn’t schedule my life around the sitting of the House on Friday, or I would be cussing no end right now, like those who did. What the heck, this is what our political leaders meet up for in these trying times? There are pressing issues, real pressures on the people. A powerful wind is blowing, dead on from the direction the passengers need to go, and our sails and riggings are weak from the strain of years of struggle. This is no time for the captain and crew to be sharing rum popo and wishing each other Merry Krismos.
But there they were, in the most anticipated meeting of the year, passing around good cheer. Couldn’t they just send their good wishes over the phone, or by email, like everybody else? No, those bohgaz had to go to the House. It sucks even more that we pay for it!
If you haven’t bothered to notice, when it comes to the House, there is transportation, and there is food, on OUR tab. There is the entourage too, those ones who are permanently waiting on the tables to catch every crumb that falls from the plates, ensuring that nothing reaches the starving masses. Just in case you didn’t know, they’re on our tab too, albeit they travel in less expensive vehicles, and eat fry chicken instead of T-bone steak.
What a waste of our day, especially those of us who set our schedule around the television and radio. Of course it might have been that those who spoke before, before I caught the show after noon, had addressed the pressing matters of the day. But I don’t think so. Those at the fore set the tone for those that come after, so you can tell by the end of the day what was about in the morning.
The damned festive disease, it caught every one of them, even Julius Espat. Yes, even he was making merry. But that must be because of the new Speaker. Somehow, the House leaders caught on to a fact that everyone in Belize who bills for water, electricity, telephone, and traffic knows – a female at the front desk is mandatory. How many wronged customers have reached their counters full fume, frothing like a mad tiger, only to simmer down, purr like a pussy cat, when they were greeted with the sweet smile of a charming damsel. Thus, the House taking the gavel from a male and handing it to a lady.
No fret, the pastors will deal with that former Speaker yet. Yes, that one who Julius should sue for police harassment and the provocation that led to a fist fracture. That former Speaker knew weh weak fence deh. First it was police officers at the National Assembly steps who had their hands behind their backs, behind shields. Then, when he got inside the House, he picked on assemblymen who were not allowed to respond full bore to his authority. Then, when he got elevated to higher heights, he went after pastors who don’t have the power to excommunicate. You bet he wouldn’t mess with the Catholics that way!
He won’t escape retribution, though. Maybe Julius’ party will never again get the numbers to run the big show. But time longer than rope. For his defiance, instead of contrition, those very same pastors will have his hind part yet. No, they can’t excommunicate, but you can never trust anybody who’s got a congregation.
While we’re on friendly pastors, I heard they were to turn up at the House steps again, en masse – Scott, Louis, Richard, Kerm – to protest weed, this after their dismal show a couple weeks ago. I haven’t heard anything about it. If they did, it couldn’t have amounted to more than a peep. If they didn’t, it might be because they couldn’t get traction at their pre-rally, and they know that Jules Vasquez is always about, counting crowd. You’ve noticed that reporter – every time some conscientious citizen makes a rally he has to remark on the number of people who were there. Woe to you if your support was pilinki.
Hn, doesn’t this man know that Fidel took Cuba with 18 men, and that Giovanni Brackett smoked the local Benedict Arnold out of the Guatemalan Embassy with just three men, a load of expired tires, and a box of matches? Why only give props to people with big crowd? Has he forgotten that the PUP poured a sea of blue ten thousand strong into Belize City, took over the country, and then proceeded to run it into the ground?
It’s nerve wracking, deflating, for every activist in this country who has a concern. First observation from the Channel 7 reporter … Mr. Activist, I don’t see that many people out here. You think anyone cares about what is bothering you? Bah, only the persons in charge of renting crowds are happy with that put down of Belizeans who don’t have the invisible thing Barrow rubbed between his fingers at the press conference, to buy the crowds. What has numbers got to do with it, Braa? What has numbers got to do with it, eh?
You, Mr. Vasquez, you think you are Esquivel … who thought he was Tina Turner? You see what happened to Esquivel? Same thing that happened to Price, and Musa, and will happen to Barrow. They got run out of the House. Really, what has love got to do with it? Well, if anyone didn’t know, love is why we celebrate Krismos. We love the birth of Baby Jesus. We love family and friends. We love black cake and fruit cake. And we love for Santa Claus to stop at every house with a toy for every boy and girl.
Some people think this warm feeling inside has to do with the cold weather outside. Yes, there is something about cool weather in the tropics. It’s that time of year when you drink water straight from the vat, when you don’t want any ice in your porque, and when you go to bed you ditch your old, worn area rep’s party shirt, for the new, thick one.
It’s that time of year in the tropics when everyone is struggling to stay warm. It’s that time of year when we understand why people in the USA and Canada and Britain don’t bathe. But we don’t exonerate local nasty people, because it doesn’t snow here. It is standard here to bathe every day, and to wash our hands often.
Another standard is that people deliver profit off labour before they make merry. Our leaders didn’t earn the right to participate in any frolic. Their business was to see that we have abundance in the land, so we could enjoy ourselves, especially at this time of year. They would have earned the right to sing jingle bells and share the in House abrazos, if every table in Belize had turkey and ham, if every child had a nice toy made by an artisan from Belize, and if after the excess everyone had a little chum left over for January.
Clearly, this year plantain noh di eat like rice. For this, there should have been serious discussion in the House, about all the pressing issues of our day. This PM, with these mammoth payments due from our Central Bank to the Ashcroft bank, the sweat should have been rolling off his head and face, even in this cool weather. Instead, there he was, radiating light and good cheer on his House enemies across the aisle. And Johnny and friends on the other side had the nerve to reciprocate.