FROM THE POWERS THAT BE ……..

Ya know …..

I’ve heard this so many times before, from not only black folks, but asians too ….

“I would go back home, but, the local people hold so much envy & bitterness towards nationals who left & built something for themselves, that, when they attempt to come back to their place of origin, they feel like some kind of illegal aliens … !!!”

Now, Barbados is not my place of birth, but, my current residence is fully legal, and I have that, dual nationality thing, going on, so, when I deal with authority here, I would like to think that a level of courtesy, rather than condescension & intimidation, would be availed to me.

If I was in … “The Pine”, and got mouthy, around individuals who have it hard here, i’d expect to get that name check, like ….

“Yo, remember where you are brah !!!!!”

However, the idea that my first issue of, what I deem to be, uncomfortable proportions, would be with, not one, but, TWO … Policemen …

…. is indeed, not only disturbing, but, really, quite laughable ….

So, here’s the scenario, i’m parked in a parking area, waiting for some coconut water, near to The Pirates Inn, on Browne’s Gap ….

Officer Magoo, pulls up, parks & has a woman with him, wife, or maybe, mistress, who knows … ???

After a couple of minutes, he gets back in his car with, said female, and proceeds to reverse slowly, but surely, into my parked vehicle, as if it was just some crash test sight for his rear bumper !!!!!

Upon the impact, which, you know, I watched, but, in that slow motion moment, where, stopping it was possible, but, my instincts just didn’t see that, ol’ fool Magoo, clearly needs to be tested for his peripheral vision, and, driving abilities …. AGAIN …. !!!!!

Thus, the problems grow …..

I then, understandably, am upset, even though the damage is minimal, but, due to the complete lack of care that he showed, I let him hear it in, no uncertain terms, as he exits the car, apologizing, but, quickly, running to assess the damage.

He then starts to act sheepish, as if my angst towards his action is uncalled for …. Hmmmm ………

So, now, I obviously, ask for details, which, he seemed to take offense to, having asked if I would just let it go, as there appeared to be no serious damage ….

“Oh, if that’s the way you want to do it, I’ll call the police !!!”, which he immediately did, before any discussion could be had …… !???!

This just increases my angst, as I am now seeing the implications of what this mans’, lack of attention has created, an interaction with police, that, does not need to happen !!!!

So, obviously, waiting for anything Bajan …… is a test of anyone’s patience, but waiting for, one of the ….

“Agents of Corruption”, when I didn’t call for them, is, where my blood starts to boil, especially when, upon expressing my problem with the likely timescale of waiting …………………………………..

….. for Barbados police, to Mr. Magoo, he enlightens me with ….

“I am Barbadian police !!!!!”

Ahaaaaa …… So, these kinds of careless, inattentive, individuals, are the law enforcers of the island !!!!!

Hmmm …. I ain’t a member of NWA, but, I have no love for police, and don’t expect that, in my time of need, they’re gonna be my salvation, not one iota !!!!!!

Thus, then enters officer – SC470ELLIS – or, as i’m going to call him, officer insignificant, because, as I sit back writing this today …..

I keep thinking of Krs One’s words …..

“I ain’t never run from the Ku Klux Klan …
So, I shouldn’t have to run from a black man … !!!”

The insignificance of being black, in a police uniform, has proven itself to me, through this officer’s demeanor, attitude & basic levels of attempted, INTIMIDATION ….. that were aimed in my direction yesterday afternoon, at approximately, 5.20pm.

Thus, some 45 mins after the incident, the scooter arrives, sunglasses on & ….. here, the lesson began …..

Obviously, the cohorts of the, “agency of corruption”, joined forces to share Magoo’s telling of events first, before Officer SC470ELLIS, decided to avail the courtesy, of letting the victim, and innocent party of this misfortune, explain, my version of what occurred …..

Long story short, I got to explain my position …..

…… but, insignificant dealt with me, as if the hitting of his car by some, “Magoo-sighted Jonny”, WOULDN’T … upset him …

He proceeded to TELL ME … to … “TAKE A CHILL PILL & RELAX”, as if waiting for 45 mins for him to cruise along, was gonna make me relax ….

Thus, the details aren’t as important, with regard to his recording of the incident, as his commentary was …..

….. having, basically, logged the accident details, and, in a somewhat smarmy way, letting his cohort from, “The Agency of Corruption”, drive away, without any real level of seriousness, about his causing this whole scenario to arise.

I now …..

….. was about to get the dressing down, that clearly, he had been waiting to give me, as he patrols the boardwalk I now frequent ….

I was told a variety things like …

1) “I have noticed your attitude & apparent anger, when seeing police on the boardwalk & do not appreciate it !!!!”

2) I don’t know how long you’ve been living here, but, you are in Barbados now, and have to follow, our, what may seem to you to be, backward practices, but, YOU ARE NOT IN ENGLAND NOW !!!!!”

He then further proceeded to advise me of the fact that he was …

3) “Waiting for me to say the wrong thing, so he could really get up in my face, to make me know what & clearly, who, I was dealing’ with !!!!”

Hmmmmmm …..

He also tried to dare me to complain about him, almost as if doing so, would be ill advised …. Hmmm …. (Was that intimidation officer ???)

I do hope not, because folks, the reason for this post, is for me to gain some sense of closure to this, but, more importantly, to let my family & friends know, that, if anything happens to me in my time here, that is unseemly ………

I want y’all to know, where I would like the investigation to start ….

It should be at Hastings Police Station, opposite the Garrison, and should start with these digits ….

SC470ELLIS ….. !!!!!

This may seem as though i’m goading the police …

Let me make this clear ….

This is NOT what i’m doing … !!!!!

I have police in my family, who work in “The Met”, in the UK, and they know my view of the system of policing in the UK, which, cannot be that far from the laws adhered to here, as I explained to Officer Insignificant, yesterday.

So, let me just address his statements ….

His first statement indicates that, he has already handpicked me for, “special”, treatment.

Clearly … NOT … in a good way, PERSECUTION & JUDGEMENT, without proper cause, as my angst when approaching him, is probably, in his mind, as The Boardwalk is a place of tranquility, and I very much enjoy taking walks along it … !!!

Also, if I am looking angered, maybe it’s because of someone, or, something else, which, with, as he said, the many backwards practices that still remain in this island, when the Internet & so many other advancements, avail awareness of the greater world at large, does take some getting used to, and can be frustrating ….

Hmmm … so, guilty of anything … ???
Moi …. Not Yet Starsky …. !!!!!

Ahhh, so, “I’m in Barbados now !!!!”, gee, thanks for the heads up officer !!!!!

However, the deeper issue with that statement is ….

Ohhhh …. so, if I can see that there is genuine, ineptitude, being shown, I should just accept it, or go back to England …. !!!!!

Hmmmm …. okay, so, as I post this up, i’ll be sure to advise the Barbados Tourism Authority, that, members of the …. Oh So Important, Bajan Diaspora …. YEAH RIGHT …. !!!!! …. should be … WARY … of coming to enjoy the welcome that is given to tourists, or, offspring of Barbadian Nationals …. !!!!!!

Ohhh, but that’s for everyone, EXCEPT, those who look like me, who apparently, fit all the pre-judgments & stereotypes that officers like, Magoo & Insignificant, seem happy to make.

Well, in four months of being here, I have neither been, stopped or searched, or questioned by police for any reason other than …..

OH YES …. !!!! ….

An off-duty policeman reversing into my stationary vehicle !!!!!

Call the FBI & CIA …. !!!!!!

Actually, how about we call, INFERNAL Affairs, and talk about the levels of bias shown to a colleague, who, admitted that my retelling of how the accident happened was … TRUE …

… get it Insignificant …

TRUE … !!!!!!

So, tourism on the wane here, hmmmm, maybe it’s because, Bajans are happy to turn men like me away, because hey, who am I to come here and relax huh … ???

Who am I to drive a car … ???
I should be pon’ bus, begging sumting … right … !!!

Sorry to disappoint, Insignificant, but, hey, I have earned what I have & am gonna enjoy it while I can, before an individual like you makes it all seem worthless, when my ability to enjoy it, is basically, “threatened”, by the likes of you & your cohorts !!!!!

Now, thirdly, let me make this clear, “Waiting for me to say the wrong thing !!!” …. “Waiting” ……

…..

So, your being called was not for you to record the details of the incident as an … independent witness …

Magoo must have advised you of my angst, so you came, looking to arrest me for some other infraction, by form of a pre-meditated motive …. ???

There goes that, “VICTIMIZATION”, again, careful now, unless i’m mistaken, if such things are proven, that could be a dismissible offense, surely ???

Even with the increasing efforts to impose, martial law, globally ……

Looks to me like you’ve been watching … TOO MUCH … Training Day & The Wire brah …..

I am a legitimate, law abiding citizen of this island now, who has been made to feel uncomfortable, why, because I have done ….. “NOTHING” ……

…. except, show a lil’ frustration because of idiotic & error ridden actions of, once again, let me remind y’all ….

A Barbados Policeman.

In a time where any money coming to Barbados, has to be a good thing …. I find it quite amazing that, apparently, jealousy, envy & essentially, complexes of an inferior variety, are inherent, within, not just poor people, but, people employed, who furthermore, are employed in one of the fields that is, charged with, ensuring that tourists are made to feel SAFE, WELCOME & PROTECTED ….

Neither of which were the result of my first interaction, with, my local police …. !!!!!!!

Hmmmm …. it is what it is right, but, now I have had my first warning of how foreigners are actually treated when things come on top ….

As a FOREIGNER, even when my passport says, dual nationality or not …..

Barbadian …..

…. now that Barbados is seemingly, suffering, economic woes, reflective of decreased tourism numbers, well, hear what ….

Train the people to SERVE, and serve PROPERLY !!!!!

These …. “Backward Styles” …. may not be something I can do anything about ….. Insignificant ….. but, now the world will have a record of what i’ve been through, which, I do hope for your sake, never gets to the tourism authorities outside of Bim, because, if I worked for any of them, i’d now be putting a BIG BLACK mark against Barbados !

White folk can come & go as they please, with smiles & nice greetings from the likes of Magoo & Insignificant, I guess … ???

…. but, this is for … ANYONE … who comes here, MIND THE POLICE, because it’s clear that, as backward as the system may be, they have their fair share of …. Bad Lieutenant’s ….

I hold no grudge whatsoever, against, Insignificant ….

If I make you feel all these things man, i’m sorry ….. !!!!!!

Why don’t you take a … “Chill Pill”, and remember, your gun don’t make you bad man …. YOU DO ….

So, if your intention was to intimidate me … ?

It may have worked …?

However, anyone walking with a weapon, who seems to feel that his uniform & gun, empowers him ….. intimidates a wise man brah ….

…. because as the saying basically goes ….

Guns don’t kill people, “Bad-Minded People”, who carry guns & like the idea of being part of a Klan ….

Sorry, of course I mean, “Clan”, Kill People … !!!

I’m trying to LIVE here, for a while at least, that’s all, nothing more, nothing less ….

However, if that’s an issue for you and yours, let me spread that word for you …..

Black people, especially Bajans, comin’ back here just to recharge, party & holiday ….

I see why ….. You got Goooooodddd reason … NoooooTTTTTT to show some love to those who seem to take … REAL ISSUE … with your being able to return & live your life, happily & comfortably … !!!!!

Don’t let the Tourism board fool ya folks …

As the saying goes ….

If your white your alright ….

If your black … WATCH YOUR BACK … !!!!!

As said, this is just part of my journal of being in Barbados … nothin’ more … nothin’ less …

But, it’s also a record for me & my peoples to know ….

How tings …. REALLY …. roll !!!!

So, once again, save that, “Black Love Talk”

There are pockets of it ….

But, they are very small, and essentially, the evidence is clear, in todays times’, check yoself & READ THE SIGNS … !!!!!

cos that clearly is …. much like my experience yesterday ….

A lot of …. CRAP …. !!!!!

So, once again, as he was insistent on advising me of where to complain ….

My complaint is indeed, now logged … for THE WORLD … to see …

against ….

Officer …. SC470ELLIS ….

Intimidated …. maybe …. ???

But scared …. well, you decide ….

I’m out.

Permalink | August 19th, 2012

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