By Anthony G. Stewart, PhD
The grandchildren came home to Union Island and wanted to tour the island and needed someone reliable and responsible to take them around. If they are fortunate enough and they get Terrance Ollivierre, they would be given a comprehensive tour. Both lived in the United States for some time and, apparently, lost the intimate connection they had when they spent time here with their grandparents.
Chevonne arrived by plane, landing at the Clifton airport. She was given an unsightly welcome by the garbage dump as the plane approached the airport. The cows, pigs, sheep and goats feeding in the dump did not evoke any reaction from this radiologist from the Ministry of Health. She now works with Housing and feels no responsibility for the health hazard created. She was satisfied that the airport was now fenced, but showed neither pity nor empathy for the islanders whose cultivations are being destroyed by stray animals.
Nkosi arrived by boat and was greeted with a carpet of sargassum weed covering the harbour and the garbage house in front of the Tobago Cays Marine Park Interpretation Centre. He is happy to arrive safely despite the absence of adequate navigational lights.
Terrance pondered the kind of vehicle most suitable for the island tour and settled on a mule. In this way, he would be better able to navigate the potholes. Nkosi asked why the roads were in such a state of disrepair? He knew that their uncle, Glenford, the Roads Scholar, had built a cross-island road and was in the process of building a round-the-island road, when all civil servants responded to a call to “Make the country Ungovernable” just before Papa’s Road-Block-Revolution. Since then, the island’s economy seems to have stood still. Hurricane Beryl’s destruction only served to paint the picture to match the prevailing economic situation.
The first stop was at Hugh Mulzac Square by the memorial for those killed by Hurricane Beryl. Nkosi wondered whether Philbert Bowens would have lived if he did not have to wait more than 30 hours to get adequate medical services in Kingstown. Who was assigned to secure Rapete, Abukai and Stephanus? Nkosi wanted to pay his respect for Abukai and Stephanus but was informed that apparently no one knows the whereabouts of their remains.
Chevonne could not help but notice how depressing Clifton Harbour appears. There is a definite need for better port facilities. The business places need restoring to provide employment. People need financing to restore their lives and livelihoods. The Society Hall and churches served the communities well over the years and they too need concessionary financing for restoration.
The next stop was at the Celena Clouden Smart Hospital. The tour guide asked for the phone number and was informed that there was none. Further enquiries were made as to why patients are sent to St. Vincent so frequently. “There is no radiology service here,” was the answer. Workers fired because of the draconian vaccine mandate have not returned, so there is a shortage, and this is a strain on the staff. “Why don’t you stay and help?” Nkosi asked Chevonne.
The stop at the Stephanie Browne Primary School revealed tales of how in the aftermath of Beryl, no one secured the children’s SBAs, so they were disadvantaged by this. The Clifton Community Library lies in ruins, and no one seems to be repairing it. It appears that Papa, our Encyclopaedia is the only one who reads. He apparently does not encourage anyone else to read. The “Copy Books” civil servants, teachers, police and John Public are not required to read nor encouraged to do so. They do not even buy a weekly newspaper.
The tour reached the Panhouse. They noticed that although it is being rebuilt, its roof needs to be covered soonest. The Pan Against Crime programme needs to get going. Crime is totally out of control in Union Island. “Hold on to your purse or wallet.” People say that nothing is being done about the gang of young thieves, even though everyone apparently knows who they are. They are on videotape; they meet at Cross Road regularly and refuse to be employed to make an honest living. The parents are apparently aiding and abetting, holding stolen money and assisting with the sale of stolen goods. In recent times, operations have been moved to the daytime when people are out working. Apparently, students caught up, too, leaving during school hours to break into homes. Residents are so frustrated by the lack of action by the police that some have applied for firearms to protect their property.
Just in front of the Panhouse is the children’s playground funded by overseas Unionites. The fence needs to be rebuilt, and the equipment repaired. Just then, the Mary Hutchinson Primary school caught Nkosi’s eye. “This is where I went to school,” he said. “Then unto the Union Island secondary behind.” He could not help but notice that there is no adequate schoolyard for the children to play.
Chevonne’s eyes, however, were on the hardcourt across the street.
She remembers well the many Easterval shows held there. The best of Union Island’s culture and talents were displayed there. Her participation in one queen show was memorable. Sometimes, other Grenadine islanders participated. The show expanded to include girls from the wider Caribbean.
Nkosi, however, was on a different wavelength. The Ashton Hardcourt was where his aspirations for the NBA began. The many tournaments with local and regional teams attracted scouts from abroad and a coach from Brigham Young University in Hawaii recruited him to play and study there. He studied political science and has plans to run, having successfully campaigned for Donald Trump in Pennsylvania. Chevonne, too, wants to run, but both are already tired even though they were being driven around on a mule. So, Terrance promised to continue the tour on another day.
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I am not sure the purpose of the article highlighting, Nkosi’s arrival by boat vs Chevornne’s by plane, nor the current state of Union Island. We know since Beryl, the ULP formulated a plan, the Grenadines people do not them in the majority, so keep the island in a state that people have to relocate. Elections, they have to vote in St. Vincent, not Union Island, and hope the one there are ULP-ITES who will vote for you.
The roads, the health care, I noted Nkosi asked Chevornne why she does not stay and help, I also noted there was no response, because she is now in housing to give away material hoping that people would vote for her.
Chevornne does not know a thing about Union Island nor the struggles of the people of the Grenadines. She lived a life outside, and while this is a good thing for her, how would it benefit the people. She has been parachuted in by the ULP after many failed attempts by Snaggy, hoping the people could identify with her.
One year and almost three months later, the people of the Southern Grenadines are still suffering hurricane Beryl, compare this to Carriacou and PM.
Chervonne Stewart is a disgrace to the profession she was trained in, her family, her roots in Union Island and Vincentians as a whole. Question, does anyone know why La Toya Deroache, half sister to Chervonne Stewart, got headmistress of GHS?