Why Do You Want To Take Away My Voice

On Thursday 4th December, 2008, while I was in the process of catching up on the news via the internet, I logged onto Caribbean Net News, while reading the letters that are published there, my attention was drawn to a feature I have never paid much attention to before. I became fascinated with a feature that keeps a record of how many times a particular letter was read or the number of hits particular letters received.

As you would imagined there was a sudden arousal of my curiosity; so I started an investigation/research; as I read the letter on the site I made a written record of the amount of hits each letter received. Then I began to look at what I considered the big topics, the names of important people and good writers that are published in this section of this online journal; I also made a record of the number of hits these topics and writers received.

After I was satisfied I then turn the spotlight on my writings. I must admit that I was disappointed when I saw the total number of hits my earlier writings received, but as I make my way to my later writings I discovered that the amount of hits my writing received began to grow. This show that I have began to attract an online following. I discovered that my Caribbean Net News followers began to grow in the same way my “Crushing Fools” blog followers grew.

I discovered that my article which was captioned “Proud of My New Found Status” received: 403 hits, “The Revenge of Ralph Gonsalves received 510 hits, Serial Rapist in S.V.G received 409 hits, and my last letter which was titled “What is Justice," received 774 hits. I discovered even articles written about issues in Bermuda received hundreds of hits. I must confess that of all the letters I have reviewed, no other letter received as much hits as the article “What is Justice?” As far as my research have revealed the letter “What is Justice?” Have the all time highest number of hits for any letter published by the Caribbean Net News

From the feed back I received from members of the newspaper reading Vincentian community (native of St. Vincent and the Grenadines), I know there is a large cross section of that island residence who reads and look forward to reading my articles when they are published in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines news papers.

In the early days Nora Peacock the then editor (deceased) of the Vincentian Newspaper always gave me a voice by publishing my writings which included poems. Then Norma Keizer the then managing editor of the Searchlight News Paper did not only ensure that I had a voice by publishing my writings; she encouraged me to writing.

The News Newspaper was always selective in which of my articles they published.

I discovered that after I began my campaign to ensure that the female police officer and the young Vincentian/Canadian lawyer who brought charges of rape and sexual assault against the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ralph E. Gonsalve was given due process and after several articles addressing this topic, the news papers in St. Vincent refused to publish my articles. It was at this point that I turned to the Caribbean Net news. The Caribbean Net news saw it fit to provide me with a platform from which to trumpet my campaign for justice on behalf of these two alleged female victims, this was enforced by Edwardo Lynch host of New Times interactive radio program.

Mr. Lynch often take timeout to read my publish writings on his radio program; and in some cases Junior Bacchus and Mathew Thomas also aided in amplifying my voice on their interactive radio program. I can remember to my surprise, listening to Junior and Matthew’s program via the internet and the sense of pride I felt as these men made one of my article “The Psychological Effects of Rape” the focal point of discussion of their show. Both interactive radio program are facilitated by Nice Radio, which is own and managed by Douglas De Freitas a true patriot.

But lately a strange and unfortunate phenomenon occurred; as of late I noticed that my letters have not been reaching the pages of the Caribbean Net News; in the same manner they are not reaching the pages of the News Paper in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Now if my writings are responsible for attracting readers to a journal whether online of print, why would these Journals suddenly refused to publish them; bearing in mind that evidence show that the readers follows my writing. Common sense is not common. With the rate of law suits that is being banged about the place and the amount of threats that are issued to the citizenry of St. Vincent and the Diaspora about being sued if one speaks the truth. With this in mind I have conclude that someone threaten to sue the Caribbean Net News, and the News Paper in St. Vincent if they continue to publish my letter/articles; hence their reluctance to publish my articles/letters. To the Caribbean Net News and the other papers please do not print a set the record straight article, (in the same manner the Bermuda Police Service had a set the record straight press release) no one will believe you, for the record is already straight. We know what you will be told or expected to say to hide what is already known.

There is one thing I know the price of justice is very high. Many people have given their lives for justice, honesty and fair play. Giving their life was a sacrifice they were willing to make. Many have lose acquired wealth for just causes but they keep the riches no one could takeaway from them; the riches of a strong character, their integrity, ethics, and high moral standards. It is true that these rich virtues cannot full an empty stomach, cloth a bear body or provide shelter from the elements but the give you something that the fat bang belly cats doesn’t have, which is: a peace of mind.

To Douglas De Freitas, Edwardo Lynch and Nice Radio please be reminded that God is still in control of this world. some people says that he has a strange sense of humor, but one thing he have promise as was declared by the King David when he said: “I was young but now I am old yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seeds begging bread.”

It Do Not Hurt To Be Polite

...........................My Friends William (Sam) Yvonne Cathlyn (Lyn)

While on the Island of St. Croix visiting friends, I developed a morning ritual, which gives me the opportunity to reflect on the previous day’s activities, review my plans, my goals, while I contemplate on the direction in which my life is currently going and what is needed to do to accomplish my goals.

...................................The Hotel on the Cay

Each day I went to the docks opposite the Hotel on the Cay. There I will enjoy the beautiful scenes that unfold before me; scenes such as the boats floating by, the birds as they get their morning meals, the changing patterns of the tides and the human activities of people going about their business. This was not only relaxing it was very enjoyable.

I can remember the very first morning I went to that dock in the little town of Christiansted. The boat man or the fairy operator (a native of St. Croix) made his way from Island on the Cay and came to where I was sitting and as his custom is, he asked me if I am going over to the island. As the fairy operator he was expected to take the hotel staff as well as guess to and from the little island on which the Hotel was built. This island is about fifty meters from the town of Christiansted.

I politely informed the him I will not be using his service today. He proceeded to take the few passengers who had assembled on the dock to the luxury island. Each day from Monday to Friday I will religiously travel to that very spot. At times the boat operator and I will exchange a glimpse, a nod of the head a passing mumble but rarely did we exchanged a word.

It was Wednesday 26th November 2008, the day before thanksgiving; I went to the dock as was usual, while there, I noticed the same fairy operator performing what was his expected duties, however today he had very unattractive bulky looking vessel.

When the boat operator docked, I bid him good morning then I inquired about the where bouts of the regular vessel. He ignored my greeting as well as the question I asked; as a matter of fact he refused to turn around and acknowledged my presence. I repeated the question, thinking that he did not hear what I said, but this time I did it in a louder tone of voice; once again I did not get a reply or an acknowledgement from the man who was busy doing nothing. A few passengers came and he went about his assignment as normal.

.........The Vessel that is used to take hotel workers and Guess to the island


On his return to the dock where I was still sitting, I repeated the question again, not being as smart as other people are, it was only then I realized that the fairy operator was ignoring me. I just smile at his strange and impolite behavior; as he continued to fiddle with some rope that was attached to the boat.

I do not know what caused my attention return to the ferry and the ferry operator, but when I looked in that direction I noticed the strangest occurrence. I noticed the bow of the boat has swung way from the dock; the fairy operator was dangling from the rail which is affixed to the bow of the boat and both of his feet, up to his knees in the water.

I quickly rushed over to where my impolite friend was experiencing his distress; I momentarily glanced into his eyes which revealed absolute fear, could it be that the fairy operator was unable to swim? The fear in his eyes alerted me of the seriousness of the matter that confronted me. The ferry operator needed my help yet he could not bring himself to ask for it.

I maneuvered myself as to take hold of the helpless ferry operator by securing my hands under his arm pit, even before I have securely griped him he let lose his grip of the boat and I was left to carry the weight of a man that was no less than two hundred and forty (250 lbs) pounds. I tried my very best, utilizing all of the force I could have generated in an effort to hoist the ferry operator onto the dock; but unfortunately not even the adrenaline that such events cause to be excreted into the blood of one in a similar situation did not provided me with the required strength that was necessary to pull this man to safety. With the belief that he was unable to swim, I know I could not allow him to fall into the water. Such would have immediately change the situation, transforming it from a simple slip into a fatality; which may have resulted in the lost of a husband, a father, a brother and a friend to God knows how many people. So I held onto my friend for quite a while, until a Caucasian man who was standing some distance away came to my aid.

Together we tried to get the boat operator back onto the dock but even with the added help this was a difficult task. Then I heard my help start counting, immediately and without any further discussion we both pulled on three. With the coordinated force of my helper and I, we managed to get the fairy operator back onto the docks.

When he was safely on the dock I went back to my seat and resume what I was doing before I went to the ferry operator’s aid. While there; I noticed the man who had just been rescued still sitting in the place and position we left him. For about ten minutes he sat there in silence, not looking left or right but he sat in what appear to be a contemplative mood. Then without any warning, he looked in my direction and said “thank you Sir thanks very much.”

The ferry operator left the docks with a new set of passengers and later returned carrying more passengers from the island. Once again he looked in my direction and said thank you once again.