Papine Market stay bad fi true

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

INNA MAY, fire bruck out eena Papine Market and burn up one big piece a di roof. Dat deh roof never tan good from morning. Wen rain fall, nuff water wash down di market. So a now water a run lacka river. Two Saturday gone, wen mi ketch in front a di market, mi see one man a come out wid one wheelbarrow full up a water.

Mi never even bodder go een deh. Mi usual walk through di market go out a back weh one outside market keep pon Friday an Saturday. Mi no like walk pon di road fi go round a back through mi ha fi pass one hell of a dump. But mi tek mi chance. Mi never see so much rubbish eena dat deh dump fi a long time. It look like seh no truck no come fi rubbish fi a good lickle while.

Me feel seh disease mighta go bruck out eena Papine Market. So mi go round an aks people wa wi a go do bout di market. Everybody seh suppen ha fi do. Di vendor dem depend pon di market fi live. An we depend pon dem fi food. So market can’t lock down. It ha fi fix up quick, quick.

NO ROOF, NO FIX

Paul Clarke did write one report weh Gleaner publish pon June 1,wid dis ya headline: ‘Papine Market upgrade could be fast-tracked after fire – mayor’. Delroy Williams, im a di mayor a Kingston. Mi no know a which track im a run pon. An im no fast lacka Usain Bolt. Almost three month gone, an no roof no fix.

Ascorden to Gleaner, dis a wa di mayor did seh: “The fire that ripped through a section of the market early yesterday morning underscores the need for its longstanding upgrade. But it should be noted that dialogue has been ongoing with the Ministry of Local Government to commence work on the actual upgrading as quickly as possible.”

Thursday gone, mi call di mayor office fi find out when work a go start. Im did deh eena meeting an im secretary put mi on to one woman eena di market section. Shi couldn’t answer mi question an shi send mi to di mayor office. Mi tell her seh a dem send mi to her. So shi tell mi fi go aks di town clerk. A so mi a go round an round.

Wen mi call di town clerk office, nobody no answer. Mi get message: “The person you have called is not available.” Mi wait lickle bit an di duppy voice seh, “One moment, please.” An di phone ring like seh smaddy a go answer. Next ting mi hear, “The operator is not available. Exiting the system. Goodbye!” Three time mi call. Same ting. So mi call back di mayor office. Im did still eena meeting so mi tell im secretary seh mi a go send im a email. All now mi no get no answer.

Papine Market come een to mi like church. Mi go every week an mi glad fi see everybody. Who a sell an who a buy. Di spirit sweet. Mi have one next congregation weh mi join. Ujima Market eena Liguanea. Mi go a di two church. But mi nah go back a Papine Market so til Govament fix it. An turn it eena Redemption Ground fi true.

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

INA MIE, faiya bruk out iina Papine Maakit and bon op wan big piis a di ruuf. Dat de ruuf neva tan gud fram maanin. Wen rien faal, nof waata wash dong di maakit. So a nou waata a ron laka riva. Tuu Satde gaan, wen mi kech in front a di maakit, mi si wan man a kum out wid wan wiilbara ful op a waata.

Mi neva iivn bada go iin de. Mi yuujal waak chruu di maakit go out a bak we wan outsaid maakit kip pan Fraide an Satde. Mi no laik waak pan di ruod fi go roun a bak chruu mi a fi paas wan el af a domp. Bot mi tek mi chaans. Mi neva si so moch robish iina dat de domp fi a lang taim. It luk laik se no chrok no kom fi robish fi a gud likl wail.

Mii fiil se diziiz maita go brok out iina Papine Maakit. So mi go roun an aks piipl wa wi a go du bout di maakit. Evribadi se sopn a fi du. Di venda dem dipen pan di maakit fi liv. An wi depen pan dem fi fuud. So maakit kyaahn lak dong. It a fi fiks op kwik, kwik.

NO RUUF NO FIKS

Paul Clarke did rait wan ripuort we Gleaner poblish pan Juun 1 wid dis ya edlain: ‘Papine Market upgrade could be fast-tracked after fire – mayor’. Delroy Williams, im a di mieya a Kingston. Mi no nuo a wich chrak im a ron pan. An im no faas laka Usain Bolt. Aalmuos chrii mont gaan, an no ruuf no fiks.

Azkaadn tu Gleaner, dis a wa di mieya did se: “The fire that ripped through a section of the market early yesterday morning underscores the need for its longstanding upgrade. But it should be noted that dialogue has been ongoing with the Ministry of Local Government to commence work on the actual upgrading as quickly as possible.”

Torzde gaan, mi kaal di mieya afis fi fain out wen work a go staat. Im did de iina miitn an im sekiteri put mi aan tu wan uman iina di maakit sekshan. Shi kudn ansa mi kweschan an shi sen mi tu di mieya afis. Mi tel ar se a dem sen mi tu ar. So shi tel mi fi go aks di toun klaak. A so mi a go roun an roun.

Wen mi kaal di toun klaak afis, nobadi no ansa. Mi get mechiz: “The person you have called is not available.” Mi wiet likl bit an di dopi vais se, “One moment, please.” An di fuon ring laik se smadi a go ansa. Neks ting mi ier, “The operator is not available. Exiting the system. Goodbye!” Chrii taim mi kaal. Siem ting. So mi kaal bak di mieya afis. Im did stil iina miitn so mi tel im sekiteri se mi a go sen im a iimiel. Aal nou mi no get no ansa.

Papine Maakit kom iin tu mi laik chorch. Mi go evri wiik an mi glad fi si evribadi. Uu a sel an uu a bai. Di spirit swiit. Mi av wan neks kangrigieshan we mi jain. Ujima maakit iina Liganii. Mi go a di tuu chorch. Bot mi naa go bak a Papine Maakit so til Govament fiks it. An ton it iina Ridemshan Groun fi chruu.

I Carolyn Cooper, PhD, is a specialist on culture and development. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com.