Sunday Sips with HG Helps | A wa Burchell did a chat bout?, give US ambassador-designate Lake a chance, Dennis Lalor – a king who did not need a crown, and Shericka looking good

A wa Nekeisha did do wey so wrong?

A wa mek dem say di girl from Sint James nearly shet dung an cause ruption ina di Paaliment last week?

Oh my goodness, but it nuh seem like a big sinting. 

Certainly not, it came down to the failure of the Jamaican Legislature to do what is right to reflect this land as an independent one, instead of continuing to live under the roof of colonial masters.

The Standing Orders of the Jamaican Parliament insist that the official language ought to be English – another colonial handout from the British oppressors of the past. The fact that a Jamaican injected one paragraph, run across two sentences, of the local dialect, cannot amount to a charge almost similar to a whipping, that some have even suggested.

It relates to the deep belief and practice of neo-colonialism that Jamaica still manages to keep its head in. It therefore explains, in great detail, why Jamaica still has the United Kingdom Privy Council as its last stop on the road to ultimate justice, instead of going forward with the Caribbean Court of Justice; why the jacket and tie is still referred to as ‘proper dress’, despite the heat and discomfort that it causes to not only those who are not protected by air conditioning, but natural air as well. 

Also, it, too, is about why there still exists a hospital named Princess Margaret in Morant Bay, St Thomas, which could easily be renamed the Cecil Batchelor Hospital to reflect not the British monarchy, but the work done by the nation’s longest serving senior medical officer of health, now retired, who left an indelible mark on it.

Days before, the fuss was about a ‘fool fool’ Mace in Gordon House, seat of the Jamaican Parliament – a symbol which displayed itself in the House of Commons, London last week, following the furore of British politics – its Local Government election, fight over leadership of the British Labour Party, and address by chief colonialist, King Charles.

Now, it is all about the use of a local dialect in Jamaica’s House of Representatives, which has been around, maybe even in a different form from that which the slaves used, since Columbus decided in 1494, to visit Jamaicans who had settled on the island.

Many have brought their own language to the Parliament, because what they used to spew was not that uttered by the Queen, King, or their operatives. You just look back and tell me if representatives like Isaac Barrant (JLP) of St Thomas Eastern, George Lyn (PNP) from Clarendon North Central, O T Williams (PNP) from St Andrew Western, or even Harry Douglas (PNP) from St Mary South Eastern did not fall off the grammar chair at times during sittings of the House. Yet, they, were allowed to function, whether in their then budget presentations, or merely asking questions of ministers on behalf of their constituents. Those often attracted much hypocritical giggling from both sides of the House.

Oh, and wow! Haven’t I heard Spanish being spoken there too, or were my ears tricking me?

Something remains amiss. There needs to be a paradigm shift in how matters are conducted through Parliament. The focus is too much on retaining the status quo, rather than shaping the way that Jamaica progresses by the usage of customs and traditions from which its own people may benefit. In a country that the local dialect is the first language of 95 per cent of its inhabitants, there should be no law that prevents expression of the kind that Burchell displayed. Parliament needs to act on behalf of the people in reflecting their tongue, which was stifled and outlawed by the masters during slavery.

Give new US Ambassador-designate Lake a chance

News that broadcast journalist Kari Lake (Halperin) has been nominated by President Trump as the next United States Ambassador to Jamaica has been met with scorn, scepticism, even disappointment and shock in Jamaican and wider global circles.

One would get the feeling that if Ms Lake were to be confirmed as ambassador, Jamaica would cave in and cease to continue being one of the most prominent countries of the world. It has been a year and four months since the last US Ambassador to Jamaica, Nick Perry, a Jamaican by birth, left Kingston, following the emergence of Trump as president.

The long list of things that Lake has done, according to those who claim to be in the know, are being paraded as enough ‘proof’ that she should not be based in Kingston unless she wishes to visit her namesake’s businesses, Popeye’s and Burger King, to sample some of the meals provided by the fast-food giants.

I have an issue with how the matter is being treated so far. I do believe that, barring her involvement in activities that may be considered irregular or illegal, Ms Lake should be allowed to take up her role in Jamaica and proceed to follow the mandate of the US Government as its representative.  

If there are issues with her conduct, then there are avenues that may be used as zones of complaint by the Jamaican Government, or others who may be so irritated.

One critic has put forward the question as to what Jamaica has done to the US, and why it has chosen to send Ms Lake to the island? But we may also ask, what has the US done to Jamaica, why it has sent Antony Anderson as Jamaica’s ambassador to Washington, following his string of failures serving in various positions in Jamaica?

Anderson, as far as I know, is a decent man. He was, among other things, the individual in charge of Jamaica’s military, head of the Police Force, and National Security Advisor. He flopped at all. Even if anybody is going by the fact that the police have been killing more civilians after Anderson’s departure, it does not mean that he laid the foundation for what is being hailed as the massive reduction in crime, especially murders. 

So let us spread the ‘welcome mat’ out for Ms Lake. Those who say they know her background can keep dwelling on that and not watch what she might be able to do when she gets to Jamaica, despite having to hurdle what could be a rugged hearing. The thing is that the US has a simple and straightforward foreign policy, which she cannot go outside of in her role of being the face of her country in Jamaica.

Dennis Lalor – a king who did not need a crown

When you have to go, you must. But when businessman extraordinaire Dennis Lalor passed on last week, a hollow feeling overcame me, that will be around for some time to come.

He had walked the hills, valleys and plains of Jamaica for over 90 years, and played a significant role in its development.

As head of the Insurance Company of the West Indies, Lalor spearheaded a business that still remains one of the most vibrant in the Caribbean. It was his company that introduced the ICWI Road Angel insurance programme for women, to essentially ensure that they remain as disciplined on the road as they ought to be, and reward them accordingly.

I am not sure that the Road Angel programme is still active, for some of those women who would have been a part of it for many years, especially women drivers of taxis and buses, may have followed male public passenger drivers and now patrol the roads like demons – creating additional lanes of traffic, overtaking at impossible spots, stopping suddenly, or some other forms of madness.

In some business circles, Lalor was known as the hatchet man – assisting companies with challenges at their places of industry to run a tight ship by cutting waste, even if it meant shaving off pieces of human resource ‘fat’ that were non-productive, or counter-productive. Simply put: chopping jobs that were not needed.

Lalor, a Kingston College Magnificent Graduate, supported his alma mater without fuss. He would donate millions of dollars and very few would know, because he was not an individual who wanted such things to be fed to the public. I certainly remember the project to buy the first bus for KC, because I was part of the team that worked on it.

He loved playing polo, having captained Kingston Polo Club and Jamaica, and headed the Jamaica Polo Association, but was equally good at being the perfect host, not only at his Upper St Andrew residence, but at the Great House that he owned at Gray’s Inn, overlooking Annotto Bay in St Mary.

The venue hosted several entertainment events, along with executive meetings of the KC Old Boys Association, led then by Dr Ray Fraser, the former senior medical officer at Annotto Bay Hospital. 

One of the things that we looked forward to was the food prepared by his reliable chef, Wally, or ‘Massop’ as some of us referred to him, based upon his close resemblance to the late west Kingston enforcer Claudie Massop. Wally, who is also Reggae veteran Hugh Beres Hammond’s top chef, often put out a curry goat that had no competition. 

Lalor would encourage him to cook as much as he could, and even if raw material was running out, Lalor would act quicker than Speedy Gonzales to get replacement items.

I, certainly, will miss this man so much, and I will forever cherish the times that I spent with him.

Shericka Jackson looks good

What a good time to wake up on the morning of Saturday, May 16, to see Shericka Jackson run 22.07 seconds and claim the 200 metres title at the Wanda Diamond League series in Shanghai/Keqiao, China.

Apart from looking good, physically, Jackson did not seem pressured in beating a field that also included World and Olympic champion Shaunae Miller Uibo of The Bahamas, who was timed in 22.26 seconds for the runner-up slot. American Anavia Battle was third in 22.40 seconds.

It was solid stuff from Jackson, and to be performing so well at the start of the season, it augurs well for the season. Hopefully, she will remain fit throughout and continue to deliver what so many of us have always wanted.