by Colin Hyde
Saturday night, on a Plus TV rerun, I got to listen to Louis Wade and his church brother, Kerm Thimbriel, discuss a Bill introduced by Ms. Thea in the House a couple weeks ago. For background on the Thea Bill, the May 12 Channel 5 transcript of the news says it “outlines key rights and procedures around guardianship, custody, and child maintenance—and for the first time, it formally recognizes a child’s right to receive counseling … [and in] one of the most groundbreaking changes, the bill would allow single men to adopt female children, a move that challenges long-standing legal norms and opens the door to more inclusive family structures.” Channel 5 said Thea said the Bill “removes prohibition on a single man adopting a child as a female, because this prohibition goes against the principle of non-discrimination.” Whoa there!
Sometimes when Wade and Plus TV tee off on a matter, they are on solid ground. Wade and Kerm are usually very sober, until they start talking about weed. I say to this duo, and Scott, one day, when you grow up, when you mature, you’ll want to apologize. If I was a weed smoker, and mean, I’d tell them: dirtiest word you. These brothers are high as a kite on the Bible, but they put a block in the path of a humble soul who leans on a plant made by the hand of the one whose word they get their upper from. Life is dirtiest-word-with-a-gerund-ending crazy. Empathy doesn’t exist in the hearts of guys who believe in the literal Bible. They are capitalists, believe in dog-eat-dog survival of the fittest, the choice piece of meat to who the Bible says is blessed, and to heck with the rest. They dream of a day when we get back Section 53.
Re: this possible referendum on marijuana in Caye Caulker, I can’t think of a better place for good sense to make a stand. The second time I smoked weed, which is the, ehm, only time I seriously inhaled it, I was in a boat in Caye Caulker with some friends. Yes, if you remember the story, it was night, it was calm, I was trying to go to sleep and maskita mi di tayr mi out. I smoked, I inhaled, and I slept till dawn. I say, better the herb from the Almighty than a manufactured soporific.
I expect many of the weed lot will want to support the Caye Caulker cause. I suggest they stay out, stay away from the island until after the election. Some weed smokers are the worst PR. Let’s always tell the truth, give the devil di sense. You can walk around all day with a bottle and nobody will know if it’s Milo, Roma Cocoa, Nescafe, or lime juice. In my biased world, weed smoke ku pass, but it’s not Class A smoke like you get from a kerosene stove, a faiya haat, a two-stroke outboard on the sea, an Independence cigarette, or an old Bedford truck. Some smoke gud fu upwind. Weed smoke gud fu downwind. But dehn have a right.
For the next month, the only weed smokers wanted on the island are those who wear necktie and carry a briefcase. That means only priests, pastors, bankers, doctors, university students, professors, and politicians who smoke are encouraged to participate in the push for weed rights. Get it: when we promote alcohol we go for sexy girls, not rum soaks who can’t start the day without their quita goma.
The diversion aside, the Plus TV brothers were very displeased with this new Bill that seeks to make way for a pisote solo, a single quash/male to step forward and adopt a female child. Hmm, stealing from the young lady weh sing, you noh redi, you noh redi fu dis yet, bwai, I seh, like Louis and Kerm, we noh redi fu dis. The brothers said that promoters of the Bill said it’s actually about a male relative of the child stepping forward, and they wondered why “MALE RELATIVE” wasn’t in BOLD in the Bill. The brothers said matters like these shouldn’t be left up to the discretion of any learned judge, that the guidance should be stated in the law, made as clear as day.
Oh, Miss Thea, you should have told Auntie Dolores to hold her post until all her mischief had been ironed out. Somewhere in Belize there is a single woman with a young girl child, who said she would not date again until her girl child was all grown up. A woman like that wouldn’t write a Bill like this one.
This Bill, maybe it seeks to satisfy some demand from an international agreement we signed. If so, we will have to prepare for a kyat boil. We noh redi fu dis.
Flogging Tracy for her time in Barrow’s Cabinet
Ah, Tracy, while a member of Barrow’s Cabinet, she supported Brad’s Boledo. Only in spots I remember her defense of the renewed contract. I say, she couldn’t have known how much sweet fat was dripping on the haunches of that gaming hog. Aha, when Cordel was condemning the renewed contract, all that we were giving away, I remember thinking, brother you have got your math wires crossed.
You know, deep down I believe that Miss Narda is juggling the books, shifting profits from somewhere to bloat the Boledo earnings. The number there must be 1 point 7 million, not 17. Say it ain’t so that we got had that way, for so long!
Tracy will have to speak openly on this thing. My gudnis, all that from Boledo and we signed it away? You know we also have to get in Godwin on this. Me, I am thinking that it is only his adulation for the capitalist system – remember he eagerly signed on the line for Harvest Caye – why he pushed to privatize the Boledo. I can’t believe Godwin knew how much sugar mi deh deh. But Master Cordel knew. We need to interview his accountant.
PCC report in, now it’s “gloves off” time
We know the story behind the formation of the People’s Constitution Commission (PCC). There was the discussion of the 11th amendment, which essentially would have required the qualifications necessary for being in the House to be set out in clear black and white. For some reason the 11th met opposition, and within that little window, social partner senator, Osmany Salas, and his colegas, seized on the opportunity to demand a full revision of the Constitution. And the PUP ran with it. The PUP rode to victory on a promise of reform, to improve transparency and accountability, deliver the UNCAC, after the NTUCB took to the streets and told the UDP government of 2015-2020, enough, enough of your corruption, enough of running the people’s business as if it was a UDP private store. Looking at it cynically, the PUP saw the opportunity to run from, to delay transparency and accountability by engaging in a full revision of our Constitution.
A full revision of the Constitution isn’t an overnight job, but finally the PCC has handed over its report to the PM. I am yet to take a first look, but I don’t expect any surprises. The big issues, agendas are presidential elections, severing all ties with the Crown, and the gay crowd who are pushing for more.
Aha, some who participated in the process broke off and condemned the report. They accused the PCC chairman, Brother Anthony Chanona, of not doing right by all of them; but the spit from their badmouthing wasn’t dry when PCC commissioner, Pastor Louis Wade was by the side of the chairman, championing his brother in Christ from another denomination.
Of course, in a democracy such a monumental task couldn’t be completed without dissent. It’s over now, whew, and now it’s time for the people to sift through the recommendations. Gloves off!