It's Hurricane Season

The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 to November 30. We recited a poem in school to help us to remember the months of this season:

"June- too soon.
July-- stand by!
August-- look out you must.
September-- remember.
October, all over."

It is claimed to be an old mariner's poem. Since the season ends in November, we know that it is really not all over in October. 2011's Hurricane Otto that flooded many Caribbean islands including the BVI and USVI came in October.

I can remember some of the hurricanes that devasted the Caribbean. I remember Hurricane Gilbert which destroyed Jamaica in 1988. I had just entered the BVI High School (now Elmore Stoutt High School). I never remembered the BVI flooding back then. Lovindeer sang "Wild Gilbert" about the storm.

The next hurricane that I remember is Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Hugo did not trouble the BVI too much but it made a mess of St. Thomas and even more St. Croix. The late Nicholas "Daddy Friday" Friday of the Awesome Jamband sang "Hugo Make Me A Don" and of course this was a hit for the carnivals and the festivals in 1990 in the Virgin Islands.

I think the most notable year for storms that I can remember was in 1995. The Caribbean had Iris, Luis and then Marilyn. Each storm had its own punch. Marilyn was the one that hit the Virgin Islands the hardest. The effects of Marilyn are still evident in St. Thomas to this day where houses still sit roofless. Of course there was a Marilyn song, again by the Awesome Jamband.

We had a story about these three major hurricanes. Iris passed through first on her mission. Apparently, she and Luis had a fling and he was missing her so he tried to follow her path to find. However, Marilyn really loved him and she heard he went to St. Thomas so she rooted the island to find him - but to no avail. I guess we come up with these stories after being months without cable.

Marilyn affected me because it was my first semester at UVI and classes were on hold because of the damage to the school and the island as a whole. So imagine, I resign from my job, pack up and head to school and then school is on hold. I travelled back to Tortola and sought a job in a supermarket because I still needed to be occupied. UVI opened shortly and I was back in class and today I stand a proud graduate of the Class of 1999.

Hurricane Bertha hit the islands in 1996 and I can remember her lifting off a piece of the roof from my home. It's been stormy since and climate change experts have determined that Atlantic Hurricane Season continues to get deadlier. Hurricane Katrina did her fair share to the US in 2005, just 10 years after Marilyn.

The latest cause of misery has been Hurricane Otto who threw lots of water on the Caribbean in October 2011. We saw water coming from places that we never thought to be channels.

We know what this season can bring. All we can do is pray and be prepared as best we can. Canned food, flashlights, a packed bag, first aid items and drinking water are the basic items to keep at hand. Hurricane shutters or wood for barring up should be close at hand.

By 2015, we may need to alter the last line of the mariner's poem and add another line:
October--it's not done yet
November--hope it's over

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The BVI's 2011 Festival is from July 22 to August 6

The British Virgin Islands will be celebrating its annual festival celebrations on Tortola from July 22 to August 6, 2011 with a variety of activities.

The British VirginIslands (BVI) will be celebrating its annual emancipation festival from July 22 to August 6, 2011. This festival commemorates the emancipation of the slaves in British Virgin Islands on August 1, 1834. The first festival celebration was held in 1954, so 2011 marks 57 years. Every year, the first Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are public holidays and are significant days in the festival activities. The body that coordinates the entire activity is the Festival and Fairs Committee. The members of this committee work with the Minister for Education and Culture, now Honorable Andrew Fahie and the current Director of Culture, Mrs. Luce Hodge-Smith. Virgin Gorda has its own festival during Easter.

Official Naming of Festival

 The BVI has been naming the festival after persons who have always contributed positively towards the upholding of the BVI culture in festival. This year, the honoree is Titus (Rockey) Crabbe, a popular BVI calypsonian called the Mighty Rockey. The festival is appropriately named "The Mighty Rockey Calypso Festiville".

Theme and Slogan

Every year, the Festival and Fairs Committee asks the community to submit their ideas for the theme and slogan for the festival. The 2011 theme is "A Hearty and Glorious 177, Emancipation Age 2011" submitted by Simeon Pope. "Come and Play Mass with Class like we did in the Past" was the chosen slogan and this was submitted by Courtney Donovan.

Festival Events

The festival offers various fun-filled and entertaining activities that show the BVI's culture. Horseracing, a Calypso show, Rise and Shine tramp, the various pageants, a dance contest, Coney Island rides and games, Water Sports, a soap box competition, a Food Fair and exciting entertainers are some of the activities that the festival has to offer. The parades are also an important part of festival and brings out thousands of people to see the majorettes, mocko jumbies, dancers, favorite bands and floats. Since 1954, the festival hasincreased in the number of days and events. There are events in Road Town, East End and more recently in Carrot Bay. At every event, there is cultural food such as fried patties with conch, whelk or saltfish, fried fish, fried chicken and johnny cake, goat water or bull foot soup among other delicacies.

• BVI's 2011 Prince and Princess: The first event of the festival celebrations was the Prince and Princess show on July 17 and John Gomez and Rhekaaya Merry emerged as the big winners at the show. The couple was able to secure the awards for "Most Photogenic, Best Introduction Dance, Best Introduction, Best Futurestic Wear, Best Cultural Wear, Best Talent and Best Evening Wear".
• Gospel Fest: The Gospel Fest was held on the day before the official opening of the festival village. Local groups and artistes performed and the headlining acts were Papa San from Jamaica and Susan Best-Richardson from Anguilla.
• Village Opening: The festival village, locally called the 'village' was officially opened on July 22 with an opening ceremony. Local bands performing that evening included fungi band, the Razor Blades and Calypso bands, Xtreme and Showtime.
• Kiddies Fiesta: On Saturday, July 23, there was the Kiddies Fiesta, a Rotary Club of Road Town sponsored event where children have a fun day with a mini parade.
• Calypso Competition: Later that evening, the festival committee held the finals of the annual Calypso Show. Contenders compete with tight lyrics and engaging performance and at the end of the night, the Calypso King or Queen is crowned. The 2011 Calypso King is Luther Butler, known to his fans as Luther B. Luther B also won the competition in 2010.

Upcoming Events

Every night, the village will have live bands and fresh local food. No festival would be complete without a dance competition, so for the first time, there will be a "BVI Can Dance" competition on Thursday, July 28. The Miss East End/Long Look Queen Show will also be held on this night where the reigning Aneika Blyden will give up her crown. The annual Food Fair is set for Friday, July 29 and there will be lots of local food to enjoy. On Saturday, July 30, the BVI Motor Sports Association (BMSA) will host a soap box competition. Then, that evening, the International Calypso Show is set to happen with artists like the Sweeter Band, Ziggy Rankin and Sanelle Dempster.

• Sunday, July 31: This is a packed day because there will be the Freedom March and Emancipation Service in the morning at the Sunday Moning Well in Road Town. The day continues with boat racing at Fish Bay. The evening is set to be thrilling because there will be the Miss BVI pageant. This pageant is much anticipated and this year, there are five contestants. Riiva Williams, Ciara Christian, Abigail Hyndman, Shanett Browne and Washeema Guishard are the young ladies who are vying for the title that Sheroma Hodge currently holds.
• August Monday: The great August Monday falls on August 1, 2011. The day begins with the Rise and Shine Tramp which is slated to begin at 4AM. Revelers will dance through the streets to calypso and soca until 9 - 10AM. After the tramp is the annual August Monday Parade. Later that evening the East End/Look Look Festival Village will be officially opened.
• August Tuesday: On Tuesday, August 2, the BVI will wake up to another Rise and Shine Tramp in Road Town. Although the party-goers may be tired, they will head to the water sports activities and then the horseracing at the Ellis Thomas Downs in Sea Cows Bay. The action then heads back to the East End/Long Look Village.
• August Wednesday: British Virgin Islanders truly love to "Rise and Shine" because on Wednesday, August 3, they have another tramp in East End. The tramp is then followed with the August Wednesday Parade in East End.

Winding Down of Festival - Off to Carrot Bay

On Thursday, life goes back to normal because everyone goes back to work. However, activities continue from August 4 to 6 in Carrot Bay. On Thursday, August 6, the Winston Molyneaux Fisherman's Tournament, the annual Torchlight Procession and the evening entertainment are some of the activities. On Friday, there will be the Cultural Fiesta with Donkey Races and other traditional games. Saturday, August 6 marks the finale of the BVI's 2011 Festival Celebrations. Carrot Bay will host another Cultural Fiesta and plans to culminate the grand celebration with Poizon Band, Showtime Band, Tarrus Riley and Krosfyah from Barbados.

The British Virgin Islands has planned for an exciting and entertaining festival. Since the celebration is for 177 years of emancipation from slavery, the chosen slogan "Come and Play Mass with Class like we did in the Past" is fitting and we can be sure that the festival's participants will live up to this theme.

Why I Go to Church

It is sad that sometimes I think negatively about going to church. Church is a sanctuary in every sense of the word. However, sometimes it is the lack of decorum of the church members that turns some people off.

However, I will say that I do not go to church to impress, repress or depress anyone. I am there to praise God. I went to my home church on Sunday after a long absence. I have been visiting a nearby church in the neighborhood I moved to because it is simple, nice and in walking distance. I realize that a coldness came from a few members in my home church - one family.

It makes me want to go back next Sunday to give a testimony on love. I just want to simply say that "I love my church family and even though they may not see me often, I still love them." I am a woman of few words.

Whatever, I have done or have not done to or for these people, my only comment is "they will be fine". I guess that's my tagline now. "You will be fine". Don't think saying "Praise God" or singing in the choir is all it takes to make it to heaven. I'm not saying that I am closer than anyone else nor am I juding anyone's actions. However, those negative beahviors are what keeps the sinners away. Then we wonder why the membership is decreasing.

Positive and live is where we need to take our churches too. Nothing will be perfect and we know this. If they persecuted Jesus, imagine you or I. Why would there be Beatitudes if life was perfect? Humbleness, patience, merciful and a giving spirit are characteristics that Christians work hard to keep. They have to work harder because Satan attacks those that love God.

So I will say that maybe that day, Satan was working hard on those people and they have gotten over it. Afterall, Christians are human too and will make mistakes and sin. I have to still love them and continue to seek God for my betterment.

Quick Thoughts: To the Troublemakers

 To the Troublemakers:

Tell the troublemakers to trouble themselves
muddy their own waters
and put stumbling blocks in their own way.
ACTUALLY
that's what they do
when they mess with God's annointed
So why am I worried!
Blessings!

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Some Tough Decisions....You Never Know

While I wish to see a positive changed realized in my country, I know that there will be challenges and many bumps along the way. Everyone seems to have a solution but I still feel that with all the solutions, the mindset has to change first.

I watched "Speak You Mind" last night on BVI's JTV on Channel 55 and enjoyed the commentary from hosts Edmund Maduro and Courtney deCastro and the persons who called and sent text messages. A few major issues were discussed but one thing kept coming up. It was the 'mental slavery' of our people.

While we may want tax reform and more economic incentives for new businesses, the people have to first be ready for these changes. For a population that can boast a high number of persons with Associate's and Bachelor's Degrees, it is hard to believe that we are unable to unite for the same good cause.

I feel that the BVI has to come to this dilemma because we are afraid to make tough decisions that will help the people in the long run. An over-bloated public service which is still unable to fill key posts, a broken down infrastructure which the country has spent millions with the wrong people to rehabilitate, a flailing agricultural sector and an education system that has been under reform for so many years yet the drop-out rate is rising: these are just some of the issues.

Strong leaders make tough decisions:

• Festival will have to be scaled down to just one big event in Road Town. All villages/districts will be encouraged to participate.
• Sorry family members and friends, there will be no contracts for you unless your bid is the best and you are competent to do the work.
• Workers who are inefficient will have a chance to pull up their socks otherwise, pay cuts will be instituted and eventual early retirement or termination.
• Accountability will be first priority so if you waste it, you will pay for it or replace it.
• Technical personnel will have the final say on how infrastructural projects are to be handled.
• There will be no more arbitrary paving of ghuts or road paving. It must be properly researched and carried out - see previous bullet.
• Car owners will be billed for the removal of derelict vehicles. The Govt should not have to foot this bill. So if you have a new car, it won't get licenced until the old one is off the derelict list. If you have moved away, we will see your car for parts.
• Property owners will have land forfeited for non-payment of property taxes. For those who live on great-great uncle's land, we can send you to a pro-bono attorney to sort that out but the taxes must be paid.
• The one that sticks out to me the most is that if any person or business owes money to the Govt, then the Govt. should not be writing them any checks.

 The people are very reliant of the Govt for everything so it’s time to change the pace but only strong leaders will make these decisions.

I am for compassionate leadership but you can not be wasteful with the resources. At some point, better earlier than later, such decisions will become reality. There will need to be a balance. I know some will not agree with me but I do feel it’s time for some real action to get us back on track.

Let’s see.

"We From De VI" - words from Nick Daddy Friday

The Awesome Jam Band was lead by Nick "Daddy" Friday who died on October 4, 2005. Jam Band sang a Calypso songs that had us bouncing, shaking, rumbling, tumbling and even indicating like a car.

Although it has been close to six years since his passing, his voice is missed and his songs are still played. I can remember attending several jouverts in Tortola for East End Festival and also in Road Town. I sweated, I jammed and I enjoyed that music from Daddy Friday. I can remember when there was tension with the other local bands throughout the united Virgin Islands - Imaginations Brass, Seventeen Plus, Prime Time, Adjik, Violators and later on Showtime and Extreme Band.

Our Calypso has come a long way but the oldies are still great. I play "Horse Chip" and "Inspection Lane" for my children and they love that. We dance just as if we were in the jouvert live.

Rest In Peace Daddy Friday. Your legacy makes the young soca and calypso artists work even harder.

Favorite TV Sitcoms

These sitcoms are not in any particular order:
"The Cosby Show" - Loved the family vibe and the clean content which still touched serious issues. Reruns are still enjoyed.

"Frasier" - Frasier, Niles, Roz, Daphne and Daddy Crane brought me many laughs. I still enjoy the show in syndication because this was not the typical sitcom but the laughs did come.

"Everybody Hates Chris" - I do love this show and wished that it had another season. My children have grown to love the reruns of this show. This sitcom is much different to other sitcoms because it is narrated by Chris Rock who is hilarious. The comedy is not forced and the actors played their roles well.

"Girlfriends" - The theme song begins "my girlfriends - there through thick and thin" and the episodes show that Joan, Maya, Lynn and Toni were really there for each other. The girls went through divorce, break-ups, pregnant and birth, career changes, issues with parents and so much more.  The show was very relatable because the issues were real.

"The Game" - I do love this show and tried to follow up with it religious. It was one of the few remaining sitcoms on network television that featured African Americans. Although I am a Caribbean-African American, I was still understand the inferences made and love the humor. I enjoyed Season 4 on BET and look forward to Season 5.

"Let's Stay Together" - The first season of this show aired in 2011 but I am surely looking for new episodes for the next season.

This list is not exhaustive but if I sit watching all of these I will be exhausted from laughing.