Carolyn Cooper | Jamaica a ‘poster child’ fi true

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

Ascorden to one Gleaner report weh come out Monday gone, prime minister Andrew Holness keep one big meeting pon Internet fi di Jamaican dem a farin. Im talk bout how money a run inna di country, crime, state a emergency, di highway weh a build inna St Thomas, COVID-19. All kind a ting. By di way, COVID nuh deh ya again?

Hear weh Gleaner seh di prime minister seh bout dat: “Pointing out that this Christmas season will be spent free from the shackles of the COVID-19 pandemic, Holness said that the expectation is that there will be an explosion of entertainment, commercial and other activities.” Same time, Chief Medical Officer Dr Bisasor-McKenzie a warn wi seh di whole heap a visitor dem from farin a go bring een different-different breed a COVID-19. So wi better tek vaccine an booster. A who wi fi listen to? Di left hand nuh know weh di right hand a do.

Pon top a dat, Holness seh, “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management.” It look like seh di prime minister figet bout di whole heap a corruption inna di govament ministry dem an di agency dem. Mi google “Fiscal mismanagement in the Jamaican government.” Inna 0.42 second, 699,000 answer come up. Di first one a one January 2021 Gleaner report wid dis ya headline, “BILLIONS AT RISK – Inefficient controls at ministries, agencies exposing public funds to fraud or abuse.”

ANDREW HOLNESS JINALSHIP

Di prime minister nuh know seh di Jamaican dem a farin know wa a gwaan a yard? Nuff a dem come ya three, four time fi di year. Dem have fambily an friend weh tell dem wa a gwaan. Dem read newspaper an whole heap a report pon Internet; an watch all kind a video bout Jamaica. How Holness tink seh im could a fool dem up bout, “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management”? Dat nuh mek nuh sense.

Di Britannica Dictionary website gi two meaning fi ‘poster child.’ Dis a di second one: “a person who represents or is identified with something (such as a cause or product).” Dat a mussi wa Andrew Holness mean wen im claims seh “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management.” Wen im tink bout “fiscal management,” a Jamaica dat! Wi a top a top.

Di first meaning weh di dictionary gi fi ‘poster child’ a dis: “a child who has a particular disease and is shown in posters to raise money to help fight that disease.” Dat a real-real Jamaica. Wi a suffer from all kind a disease ya so. Wi body, soul an spirit under pressure. Wi need healing. Not Andrew Holness lyrics bout “good fiscal management.”

Di prime minister mussi tink seh im a BroGad fi true. Bible tell we seh God ‘spake’ an di whole world come outa im mout. So if God bredda ‘spake’ an tell wi seh Jamaica a run right, a so it go? Nutten nuh go so. Holness done mek wi know seh im a tink bout im legacy. Im better mind sharp im no turn inna di ‘poster child’ fi jinalship.

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

Azkaadn tu wan Gleaner ripuot we kom out Monde gaan, praim minista Andrew Holness kip wan big miitn pan Intanet fi di Jamiekan dem a farin. Im taak bout ou moni a ron ina di konchri, kraim, stiet a imorjensi, di aiwie we a bil ina St Thomas, KUOVID-19. Aal kain a ting. Bai di wie, KUOVID no de ya agen?

Ier we Gleaner se di praim minista se bout dat: “Pointing out that this Christmas season will be spent free from the shackles of the COVID-19 pandemic, Holness said that the expectation is that there will be an explosion of entertainment, commercial and other activities.” Siem taim, Chiif Medikal Afisa Dr Bisasor-McKenzie a waan wi se di uol iip a visita dem fram farin a go bring iin difran-difran briid a KUOVID-19. So wi beta tek vaksiin an buusta. A uu wi fi lisn tu? Di lef an no nuo we di rait an a du.

Pan tap a dat, Holness se, “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management.” It luk laik se di praim minista figet bout di uol iip a koropshan ina di govament minischri dem an di iejensi dem. Mi guugl “Fiscal mismanagement in the Jamaican government.” Ina 0.42 sekan, 699,000 ansa kom op. Di fos wan a wan Janieri 2021 Gleaner ripout wid dis ya edlain, “BILLIONS AT RISK – Inefficient controls at ministries, agencies exposing public funds to fraud or abuse.”

ANDREW HOLNESS JINALSHIP

Di praim minista no nuo se di Jamiekan dem a farin nuo wa a gwaan a yaad? Nof a dem kom ya chriI, fuor taim fi di ier. Dem av fambili an fren we tel dem wa a gwaan. Dem riid nyuuzpiepa an uol iip a ripuot pan Intanet; an wach aal kain a vidyo bout Jamieka. Ou Holness tingk se im kuda fuul dem op bout, “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management”? Dat no mek no sens.

Di Britannica Dictionary websait gi tuu miinin fi ‘poster child.’ Dis a di sekan wan: “a person who represents or is identified with something (such as a cause or product).” Dat a mosi wa Andrew Holness miin wen im kliemz se “Jamaica is the poster child for good fiscal management.” Wen im tingk bout “fiscal management,” a Jamaica dat! Wi a tap a tap.

Di fos miinin we di dikshaneri gi fi ‘poster child’ a dis: “a child who has a particular disease and is shown in posters to raise money to help fight that disease.” Dat a riil-riil Jamieka. Wi a sofa fram aal kain a diziiz ya so. Wi badi, suol an spirit aanda presha. Wi niid iilin. Nat Andrew Holness liriks bout “good fiscal management.”

Di praim minista mosi tingk se im a BroGad fi chruu. Baibl tel wi se Gad ‘spake’ an di uol worl kom outa im mout. So if Gad breda ‘spake’ an tel wi se Jamieka a ron rait, a so it go? Notn no go so. Holness don mek wi nuo se im a tingk bout im legisi. Im beta main shaap im no ton ina di ‘poster child’ fi jinalship.

For an English translation, visit carolynjoycooper.wordpress.com

Carolyn Cooper, PhD, is a teacher of English language and literature and a specialist on culture and development. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com.