Ah cah jes trow a cuss behine de ole CCC board and doh try to see what I could do to help de new one. I cah live so wid my people. Jump high or jump low, dis is my community and my city. If dem fail, I fail. Ah have more hope now dat ah see some who on de new board. Doh say ah farse eh? But hear meh lyrics.

When yuh sit dong to plan 2004, please remember all my islands. I done know dat soca sweet for days and yuh girl could breakaway bad when you see chutney lash meh. If ah hear steelpan yuh might as well put meh in a straitjacket because pan does take me morning, noon and night. But ah love mih Zouk and Kompa too. Ah doh hear dat on de road. Mwen vlé wé tout fanmi mwen. Let de outsiders see who all ah we is nuh? Dis is de Caribbean Cultural Committee not One Island Committee. Ah even miss meh Brazilian band. Is years I din see dem. See if yuh could get a chance to trow een a little tribute to my Haiti please.

Look in we community for assistance. You cah be running up behine outside people fuh ting while your own people have de means to do de wuk. But it doh have fren in business eh? Pay dem properly and make sure dey bring de materials or de service to you on time. If dey want to make ole style drop dem farse; doh waste yuh time. When yuh have cause to go by outside people, send somebody who could talk good. Ah tired hear we get represent by somebody who doh know if to cross de eye or dot de tee. Tree quarter of de battle in business is mamaguy, de res’ is know how and know who.

Handle de organization as a business. Keep proper records. Money does make enemy. Doh do like de las’ fella and write cheques dat make from rubber. If you doh have de means, sit dong wid de creditor and explain yuhself. Ah hear somebody say dat business people doh trust we no more. Everybody want dey money up front from we. Dat is we fault. Trust is ah ting once yuh lorse it, it does be real hard to get it back expressly in business. De CCC cah even trow a small sou-sou now.

Doh be too proud to akse de TMBA to sit dong and talk wid yuh. But dey have to respeck you back. In dis country when de city say is time for de parade to done, every man jack have to get awf de road. Yuh cah let a big band take up hours den a nex’ band doh even get a chance to enjoy deyself. Is not like home when we start fo’day morning and doh stop for two days.

De Pan Alive is a nex’ ting. We have a Steelband Association now. Arrange to have de ting in a decent venue. Las’ year it was in a place when dark fall ah couldn’t even self see where ah putting meh foot. Lawd alone know what it is ah mash. Dew hitting meh head. De judges had to squeeze to get troo patrons, it had no light for dem to read what dey marking dong. Ah hear de parking lot was a nex’ confusion and some real teefery went on. An’ let we see we steelbands on de full parade route, please! But, dem too have to respeck time.

Doh forget de local kaisonians. Ah does hardly see dem. We have talent here. Much as I like de ones from home, yuh have to look after de ones here. Dem is culture ambassadors too.

Some people staying away because of confusion. I and all stay away for years. But year after year ah watching from de sidelines at de mas, de pan, de music. Ah saying to mehself dis ting so nice eh and look how we cah seem to fine a good showcase for it. Ah doh want we lorse dis ting becaw we might never get it back. All who have no respeck akse dem to leave.

Ah want de city to see we mas, hear we music and know we talent. Ah want all dem stinking badjohn to stay home and let we and we chirren jump up in peace. Ah want de spectators to clap and take snap. Ah want when de ting done, de CCC declare a profit even self if is one toonie. I supporting you, ah begging de community to support you.

Write meh and tell me what again ah could do to help out. Ah putting meh time and pen at your leisure.

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