Alright, so we’re getting ready to celebrate another milestone, one more occasion of bigging up wi-self. This time marking the 55th anniversary since we were declared a nation of our own. Nothing is wrong with engaging in acts of celebration — looking at the good wherever we can find it. As to the opposite of that, nothing would be wrong if we were to admit that we could do better.

There is nothing to celebrate the cold-blooded way in which so many have fallen prey to the wicked. There has been so much suffering at the hands of the devil I wonder which corner of hell he came from, and why he and his tribe feel that they can do such as they please from Town to Country.

Fifty-five years ago we were determined to build a new Jamaica, strong in our belief that we could be better, with every belief that we could be somebody. There were people then and now who were determined to create a new Jamaica, especially for a younger generation. Thankfully more of our people have seen a new way to ambition. They took the path to high hope and continued determination. Such was the hope for Jamaica. Difficult though the challenges, a new generation keeps going.

While some build together, there are those who would mash it up. It is hard to understand why some should be working so hard to destroy all around them. We have no reason for fighting with ourselves and others. A friend of mine and I were digging deep into understanding why people are this way. Why we live for that adjective being “bad mind”. They have found an argument like a river determined to wash away its flood tide (if you get what I mean).

For the anniversary which lies ahead we should be already in a celebratory mood, instead of “slip and slide”, pushing us back down the hill. No sooner than we made another step, we have to be asking “whatta gwaan?”

It is interesting to hear a conversation with generations both young and old. Each has its own views of what today and tomorrow will bring. It is no surprise that different people have different opinions. That’s life.

One of the most determined responses came from a senior who was displeased when he heard how little respect was being paid to people of advanced age. Those who, in their time, had given of their best to development of this time, but today are not even vaguely remembered. He mentioned, for instance, the almost neglected history of one like T P Lecky, who, in his time, received great accolades from overseas but is still overlooked today. He went on to say, “Success doesn’t come from one person alone, because we are now old, it doesn’t mean we didn’t do anything.”

The conversation on yesterday and today will always be continued. What then will be the focus of the forthcoming celebration? How do we prepare?

Stuck in the pipeline

Remember the promise not too long ago about moving the Parliament headquarters? It cotch or what? What’s going on there? Looking back again to consider the recreation of the Parliament building, what is really going on? I hope we aren’t still questioning the architectural value of our own skilled designers and creators. Why should they not be the ones to give us the new parliamentary building’s design?

Then, there is another issue for discussion. Public opinion is still open to whether Louise Bennett-Coverley will, one day, be declared the real-real Jamaican hero, whom so many talk about. Will her husband, Eric Coverley, be declared a hero too? He contributed more to folklore culture than you’d imagine. While we are looking at some who need to have their contribution considered, this is a good time as any to widen our evaluations.

Meanwhile, back to the hoo-ha about the statue of the young Garvey on The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. The excitement has cooled off now that there is promise to replace it with a more expected version. I kept waiting to hear if the artist had created a young man. If that was to be a young Garvey then it wouldn’t have had the same features and same body structure as the older Garvey seen in photographs. Whatever was the cause of difference, did the response have to be such a haul and pull-up? Wi weird sah!

Barbara Gloudon is a journalist, playwright and commentator. Send comments to the Observer or

gloudonb@yahoo.com.