Let me begin by asking the poll question, what type of parent are you? I know most of us would like to think we're the greatest mamas and papas or at least better than our parents were but I can't help but hear the oh-so popular aphorism regarding kids today "children today are not as respectful, children today are unruly, pikni them rude these days". You can fill in your own because I am sure you’ve said it yourself or have heard someone say it. I believe this to a certain extent and I can discuss why not completely in another post later. I believe a lot of what you see or maybe I should say what you don’t see in children today compared to some twenty years ago has to do with the lack of proper discipline.

After visiting my homeland the last two years and spending a little time at my grandmother’s house I believe the Vincy way of discipline and correction hasn’t changed much at least my grandmother’s house. I feel this is a good thing even after living in a new country for almost two decades now that has its own ideals when it comes to, how a parent disciplines their children. If many of us should look back into our childhood and how our parents disciplined us and shift it under the North American guise, how many of us will be taken by C.A.S and the violator imprisoned for child abuse.

Of course we can look and still be appreciative for the lessons learned even if a belt or some other tool was used to force it in. I am all for obeying the laws of the land but there comes a time when a timeout is simply not enough, of course I don’t think its necessary to go the extent that my parents went through to discipline me but even half of that can get you labeled a child abuser. I don’t think anyone should be using belts or any other tools to correct young children but certainly a good spanking could mean a lesson learnt for a lifetime. What do you think?

Let me preface what I’m about to say; I don’t know if there are plans in the place to renovate or rebuild the schools in St.Vincent and the Grenadines. I haven’t read anything regarding the infrastructure of the schools aside from the electrical problem that caused thousands of dollars in damage to GHS.

In the last two trips to my homeland I decided to visit the two schools I attended, the primary and the secondary I will not mention the schools as to not single anyone out for I am quite sure after hearing from friends who attended others that these are not the only ones that appear so outdated and lacking from an infrastructure standpoint.

I stepped through the gates of my old high school and instant nostalgia: running track in the yard against anyone and everyone who dared step to the starting “fence” line, I eventually represented my school in the 100m sprint but got whopped in the national HS meet at Arnosvale and had to settle for the silver. I was taken back to pickup soccer behind the tuck shop and unfortunately the disappointments when some silly girl I admired from the school across from us never came to the fence to watch me play. I defer this reminisce maybe in another post we shall continue.

One may think it’s great to revisit your old school and see it in the same state since you left, some fifteen years ago but that’s only true for facilitating the nostalgia of the old days. I am not sure how many of the students may notice the rust in the ceilings, the shaky barricades or the missing glass windows I certainly did not when I was there. This does not mean the children (“Man do I feel old”) are satisfied with it they’re merely settling because they believe its not there job to worry about these things and indeed they should not have to, this is where our government, our principals, our teachers, our adults who has better eyes or who should have better eyes for these things need to step up and say this is not good enough for our students. I was appalled to see the school I attended so long ago seemingly on the surface needing the same repairs it was in need of when I was there, chance is the school needs a lot more than I saw with my own eyes and nostalgic frame of mind.

Here’s the thought; education is key to the success of any of our folks today whether at home in St.Vincent or should they travel abroad. We can demonstrate this to the students not just by telling them after a detention session or a failed grade but by giving them the best schools, best labs, best equipment possible. We need to rebuild these age old infrastructures and raise them to a new standard, the situation at Girls high school could’ve been much worse. So while it’s great that we’re building new airports, let’s make sure we also give our students the best. How great it will be to visit my old school and see how much it has changed for the better.

I remembered this great piece of poetry and had to share the memories. Every time I read through or even remember a few lines from it, wherever I am whatever I'm doing it transports me to Kingstown market with all its bedlam and ripe history. Read on, see where it takes you.

Song of the Banana Man by Evan Jones

Touris, white man, wipin his face,
Met me in Golden Grove market place.
He looked at m'ol' clothes brown wid stain ,
AN soaked right through wid de Portlan rain,
He cas his eye, turn up his nose,
He says, 'You're a beggar man, I suppose?'
He says, 'Boy, get some occupation,
Be of some value to your nation.'
I said, 'By God and dis big right han
You mus recognize a banana man.

'Up in de hills, where de streams are cool,
An mullet an janga swim in de pool,
I have ten acres of mountain side,
An a dainty-foot donkey dat I ride,
Four Gros Michel, an four Lacatan,
Some coconut trees, and some hills of yam,
An I pasture on dat very same lan
Five she-goats an a big black ram,
Dat, by God an dis big right han
Is de property of a banana man.

'I leave m'yard early-mornin time
An set m'foot to de mountain climb,
I ben m'back to de hot-sun toil,
An m'cutlass rings on de stony soil,
Ploughin an weedin, diggin an plantin
Till Massa Sun drop back o John Crow mountain,
Den home again in cool evenin time,
Perhaps whistling dis likkle rhyme,
(Sung)Praise God an m'big right han
I will live an die a banana man.

'Banana day is my special day,
I cut my stems an I'm on m'way,
Load up de donkey, leave de lan
Head down de hill to banana stan,
When de truck comes roun I take a ride
All de way down to de harbour side-
Dat is de night, when you, touris man,
Would change your place wid a banana man.
Yes, by God, an m'big right han
I will live an die a banana man.

'De bay is calm, an de moon is bright
De hills look black for de sky is light,
Down at de dock is an English ship,
Restin after her ocean trip,
While on de pier is a monstrous hustle,
Tallymen, carriers, all in a bustle,
Wid stems on deir heads in a long black snake
Some singin de sons dat banana men make,
Like, (Sung) Praise God an m'big right han
I will live an die a banana man.

'Den de payment comes, an we have some fun,
Me, Zekiel, Breda and Duppy Son.
Down at de bar near United Wharf
We knock back a white rum, bus a laugh,
Fill de empty bag for further toil
Wid saltfish, breadfruit, coconut oil.
Den head back home to m'yard to sleep,
A proper sleep dat is long an deep.
Yes, by God, an m'big right han
I will live an die a banana man.

'So when you see dese ol clothes brown wid stain,
An soaked right through wid de Portlan rain,
Don't cas your eye nor turn your nose,
Don't judge a man by his patchy clothes,
I'm a strong man, a proud man, an I'm free,
Free as dese mountains, free as dis sea,
I know myself, an I know my ways,
An will sing wid pride to de end o my days
(Sung)Praise God an m'big right han
I will live an die a banana man.'