Carolyn Cooper | Wa mek Prince William an Kate a come ya?

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

Pon Bob Marley birthday, February 6, Queen Elizabeth start celebrate fi her 70 year Jubilee. Di two 6 clash inna Reggae Month. She a di first queen or king deh pon di throne fi so long. An party a go keep fi one whole-a year. Since as how Missis Queen a di head a fi wi country, it look like seh wi must an bound fi celebrate wid her. Nuh matter wa wi tink bout her an fi her generation dem! All like Queen Victoria she, weh directly response fi di Morant Bay War. A she provoke black people fi stand up an fight fi wi rights. An a fi her Governor Eyre murder nuff-nuff a wi.

A di said same Queen Victoria weh Jubilee Hospital name after. Di hospital did build inna 1891 fi member fi her 50 year Jubilee inna 1887. It did name Victoria Jubilee Lying-In Hospital. Dem time, after woman have baby, dem would a lie down inna hospital couple day fi ketch up back demself. All now, some a wi call di hospital ‘Ly-neel’. Wi never know di rightful name.

So Jubilee deh pon wi. Mi go pon King’s House website an mi see di letter weh di Governor-General, Sir Patrick Allen, send to di Queen. Hear how it start off: “I have the honour to convey to Your Majesty the felicitations of the Government and People of Jamaica on the occasion of Your Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.” A which ‘People’ di Governor-General aks if wi want send “felicitations”? Im can chat fi Govament. Not fi di whole a wi! Plenty a wi nuh business wid di Queen.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE DONE KNOW

Mi call King’s House fi find out a who come up wid di plan fi William an Kate come ya. Dem tell mi fi go aks di Prime Minister office. Mi nuh get nuh answer deh so. So mi call Buckingham Palace an dem send mi to Kensington Palace. Mi just a go round an round. Mi aks one a di Communications Officer a Kensington two question: “How was the visit initiated? What is its purpose?” Di officer seh she can’t answer dem deh question right ya so. She wi send press release bout di visit when it come out.

Mi lucky fi find one story weh Rebecca Russell she write fi My London News. It post pon February 2. Hear weh she seh: “Another country that has been tipped as a high possibility of being visited by the couple is Jamaica. Much like Barbados, there have been murmurings that the country has thought about declaring independence and it is hoped that Prince William and Catherine will give the monarchy the boost it needs to convince Caribbean leaders not to follow Barbados.”

Seet deh now! Mi get di answer to one a mi question. An mi see seh Rebecca Russell nuh know seh a long time now wi a claims seh wi independent. Almost 60 year! But if Andrew an Kate a come ya fi try stop wi from turn republic, it look like seh Buckingham Palace done know seh wi nuh independent to dat. Inna 2022, one woman from foreign a di head a fi wi country? Nah! Nuff a wi ready fi get rid a di Queen. Wi just a wait fi Govament call referendum. William an Kate can’t stop dis ya emancipation.

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

Pan Bob Marley bortdie, Febieri 6, Kwiin Elizabeth staat selibriet fi ar 70 ier Juubilii. Di tuu 6 klash ina Rege Mont. Shi a di fos kwiin ar king de pan di chruon fi so lang. An paati a go kip fi wan uola ier. Sins az ou Misiz Kwiin a di ed a fi wi konchri, it luk laik se wi mos an boun fi selibriet wid ar. No mata wa wi tingk bout ar an fi ar jinarieshan dem! Aal laik Kwiin Victoria shii, we dairekli rispans fi di Morant Bay Waar. A shii provuok blak piipl fi stan op an fait fi wi raits. An a fi her Govana Eyre morda nof-nof a wi.

A di sed siem Kwiin Victoria we Jubilee Hospital niem aafta. Di aaspital did bil ina 1891 fi memba fi ar 50 ier juubilii ina 1887. It did niem Victoria Jubilee Lying-In Hospital. Dem taim, afta uman av biebi, dem wuda lidong ina aaspital kopl die fi kech op bak demself. Aal nou, som a wi kaal di aaspital ‘Lai-niil.’ Wi neva nuo di raitful niem.

So Juubilii de pan wi. Mi go pan King’s House websait an mi si di leta we di Govana-Jinaral, Sir Patrick Allen, sen tu di Kwiin. Ier ou it staat aaf: “I have the honour to convey to Your Majesty the felicitations of the Government and People of Jamaica on the occasion of Your Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.” A wich ‘People’ di Govana-Jinaral aks if wi waahn sen “felicitations”? Im kyan chat fi Govament. Nat fi di uol a wi! Plenti a wi no bizniz wid di Kwiin.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE DON NUO

Mi kaal King’s House fi fain out a uu kom op wid di plan fi William an Kate kom ya. Dem tel mi fi go aks di Prime Minister afis. Mi no get no ansa de so. So mi kaal Buckingham Palace an dem sen mi tu Kensington Palace. Mi jos a go roun an roun. Mi aks wan a di Communications Officer a Kensington tuu kweschan: “How was the visit initiated? What is its purpose?” Di afisa se shii kyaahn ansa dem de kweschan rait ya so. Shi wi sen pres riliis bout di visit wen it kom out.

Mi loki fi fain wan stuori we Rebecca Russell shii rait fi My London News. It puos pan Febieri 2. Ier we shi se: “Another country that has been tipped as a high possibility of being visited by the couple is Jamaica. Much like Barbados, there have been murmurings that the country has thought about declaring independence and it is hoped that Prince William and Catherine will give the monarchy the boost it needs to convince Caribbean leaders not to follow Barbados.”

Siit de nou! Mi get di ansa tu wan a mi kweschan. An mi si se Rebecca Russell no nuo se a lang taim nou wi a kliemz se wi indipendent. Aalmuos 60 ier. Bot if Andrew an Kate a kom ya fi chrai stap wi fram ton ripoblik, it luk laik se Buckingham Palace don nuo se wi no indipendent tu dat. Ina 2022, wan uman fram farin a di ed a fi wi konchri? Naa! Nof a wi redi fi get rid a di Kwiin. Wi jos a wiet fi Govament kaal refarendom. William an Kate kyaahn stap dis ya imansipieshan.

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.