Carolyn Cooper | Mi feel it fi Councillor Graham

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

Tuesday gone, THE STAR put out one story weh Ruddy Mathison did write bout di situation wid Councillor Steve Graham. Im did read one speech fi Mr Romond Fisher, chairman a di board, at di Old Harbour Primary School graduation dis ya month. Dis a di headline: “‘It’s not worth it’ - Councillor’s wife irked by nasty comments after his shaky speech.” Mi do understand wa mek Mrs Rosemeade Graham bex. Whole heap a people a tek her husband mek poppyshow, sake a how im did read di speech. Im did buck fi true. An di video a go round an round all bout.

Mrs Graham herself seh, “. . . I must say when I looked at the video, I think he could do better.” Still for all, it nuh right fi crucify Mr Graham. Hear weh im wife tel THE STAR: “Right now, mi husband has lost weight. He feels stressed out! Persons are ungrateful, and the other side is using this incident to judge him. He can’t even roll up his windows while driving through the community because it is claimed he is hiding.”

A no ongle “the other side” a judge Mr Graham. Some a dem inna fi im owna party did a laugh after im. Robert Montague, Chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party, did ha fi put down im foot. Im send out one notice: “There is a video that is being circulated about our Councillor, we representatives of the JLP, should NOT be sharing.”

LABOURITE AN COMRADE JOIN UP

Wat a ting! Labourite an Comrade join up an a gang up pon Mr Graham. Sake a how im read one next man speech? Dat a nuh di kind a unity wi need. It nuh positive. It show up di problem wid language inna dis ya country. Certain backward people judge yu offa how yu talk an read English outa road. Party politics nuh matter deh so. A language politics a carry di swing. Di people dem weh know English good-good gwaan like seh dem better dan dem odder one weh never get di chance fi learn dat deh language to dat.

Wi ha fi do better dan dis. An mi know seh some a dem same one weh a mock Mr Graham might a did do di said same ting inna di situation. Wen mi watch di video, mi never laugh. Mi tell mi friend weh send it, “Sad, sad, sad! Why Mr Graham do that to himself? He must know he can’t read fluently.” Mi nuh tink im did practice fi read di speech. Mi hope im learn im lesson. An im nuh fi listen im wife. Shi tell THE STAR, “If I have a choice, I would take my husband out of politics.” Mr Graham should a hold up im head an gwaan do im best fi im community. Chat bout!

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

Chuusde gaan, THE STAR put out wan stuori we Ruddy Mathison did rait bout di sitiyieshan wid Councillor Steve Graham. Im did riid wan spiich fi Misa Romond Fisher, chierman a di buord, at di Old Harbour Primary School gradiyieshan dis ya mont. Dis a di edlain: “‘It’s not worth it’ - Councillor’s wife irked by nasty comments after his shaky speech.” Mi du andastan wa mek Mrs Rosemeade Graham beks. Uol iip a piipl a tek ar ozban mek papishuo, siek a ou im did riid di spiich. Im did bok fi chruu. An di vidiyo a go roun an roun aal bout.

Mrs Graham arself se, “. . . I must say when I looked at the video, I think he could do better.” Stil far aal, it no rait fi kruusifai Misa Graham. Ier we im waif tel THE STAR: “Right now, mi husband has lost weight. He feels stressed out! Persons are ungrateful, and the other side is using this incident to judge him. He can’t even roll up his windows while driving through the community because it is claimed he is hiding.”

A no ongl “the other side” a joj Misa Graham. Som a dem ina fi im uona paati did a laaf aafta im. Robert Montague, chierman a di Jamaica Labour Party, did a fi pudong im fut. Im sen out wan nuotis: “There is a video that is being circulated about our Councillor, we representatives of the JLP, should NOT be sharing.”

LIEBORAIT AN KOMRED JAIN OP

Wat a ting! Lieborait an Komred jain op an a gang op pan Misa Graham. Siek a ou im riid wan neks man spiich? Dat a no di kain a yuuniti wi niid. It no pasitiv. It shuo op di prablem wid langgwij ina dis ya konchri. Sortn bakwad piipl joj yu aafa ou yu taak an riid Ingglish outa ruod. Paati palitiks no mata de so. A langgwij palitiks a kyari di swing. Di piipl dem we nuo Ingglish gud-gud gwaan laik se dem beta dan dem ada wan we neva get di chaans fi lorn dat de langgwiij tu dat.

Wi a fi du beta dan dis. An mi nuo se som a dem siem wan we a mak Misa Graham maita did du di sed siem ting ina di sitiyieshan. Wen mi wach di vidiyo, mi neva laaf. Mi tel mi fren we sen it, “Sad, sad, sad! Why Mr Graham do that to himself? He must know he can’t read fluently.” Mi no tingk im did praktis fi riid di spiich. Mi uop im lorn im lesn. An im no fi lisn im waif. Shi tel THE STAR, “If I have a choice, I would take my husband out of politics.” Misa Graham shuda uol op im ed an gwaan du im bes fi im komyuuniti. Chat bout!

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. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com