Ah didn’t feel too guilty or incompetent when ah got ah WhattsApp message from Doc Fraser asking if ah had ah copy of Searchlight’s first publication back in April 7th 1995. Actually
ah was humbled and light-hearted to tell him way ah had my copy stored safely in ah box made from treated Breadfruit Board, but it seems like termites – “wood-ants” or “wood-Lice” had ah Love Feast, and ran-out ah unleavened (flat and dense texture) board, and dem “bee-eye-tea-see-h-e yes nyam dat whole Searchlight Newspaper to duse, every “Dot, Comma, Question and Exclamation-marks, dey refuse to stop. In fact dey ate every full-stop! Would you believe dat in defy-ants de only thing dat did not get eaten was de Newspaper Ad dat says: “Do you know how to get rid of wood-lice?” Grampa Nay-turn believes “Knowledge is Power,” also “Knowledge is Edible.” Den he says to me: “Go ask de termites, food foh Thought!”
And dat’s why we using Love, to thank our valuable customers, subscribers/readers, in fact everyone who would have done dey bit for Searchlight. We can’t remember every individual who was involved but whether big or any small measure we say thanks, and we forgive de detractors, even de Vin-see young man still living in de USA, who had bought an annual subscription, and circulated his password (pirating or ah free read) to his friends who are no better dan our wood-lice. On in great spirit we remember workers like Hans King, our first paid Reporter who went on to University and later became Prime Minister’s Press Secretary. Barrister Perry Joseph an Island Scholar who worked foh Searchlight before moving on to University. Dey’s Lawyer/Senator, former Minister Carlos James, fresh out ah Secondary School wid computer skills joined Searchlight before going to study Law in de UK. We remember DPP Duane Daniel, in de early days at Searchlight before going to study Law.
Ole people say “Pastor suppose to christen he pickney first” so dey’s Senator Chelsea Alexander who worked at Searchlight before going to study Law. Very early in de life of Searchlight two Bajans wid de Nation’s Production Department moved to and lived in SVG foh de last 30 years, Jude Knight chief sub-editor and Neal Jackman graphic artist.
We have had former Assistant Superintendent of Police Hawkins Nanton, reporter, who also served as Assistant Editor at Searchlight. We have had two candidates editing the paper who went on to be SVG’S Ambassadors, Dexter Rose to Cuba and Kenton Chance to Tie One. Dey’s Adrian and Lyf- faithful.
Dey’s Mrs. Nicole Alleyne Accounts Officer. Ah running out ah names but before ah end, ah will menshun two female Reporters who were “ worth dey salt”: Bria King journalist, and de diminutive brave and fearless Court reporter Kathrine Renton, wid ah Bachelors Law Degree.
Of honourable men-shun, is de Norma Keizer Scholarship Foundation dat fully financed 48 students. Some of our workers were given bonus shares wid d company. And Last but not least ah have been asked to let de public, including Gov’t Statutory Department, know dat de “Best of SVG” is Searchlight’s baby for which we have Copyrights- dis too is also “Food Foh Thought…”. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.Thanks and Goodbye.
One Love Bassy
- Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.
