Satiricus was tired. He was tired of this Anti-Money Laundering Bill. It had dominated not only the newspapers but – more the (vexed) point – the daily briefings the Editor had with the news hounds. “I mean, how much can a fella take?” Satiricus had fretted to the boys at the back street dive. They were gathered there in their usual Friday night conclave, solving the world’s problems, while they wet their throats.
Cappo, the CaneCutter, pointed to the headline on the MuckrakerKN, “Yuh mean dis?” And he then read out laboriously, “Govt flouts new deadline ahead of CFATF review”.
“Flouts?” interjected Teacher Samad and then went on his classroom voice. “‘Flout’ is like when you break or ignore a law or rule or something and you don’t hide what you doing or showing any fear or shame.”
“Yeah!” agreed Suresh. “Is like when Cappo bin out with that dutty-skin ‘bad gyaal’ and he walk all around the village with she!”
“Ai!! Me bin drunk dat day!” Cappo replied hotly. “Wha you excuse when yuh jump around naked last week? Wha you bin flouting then?”
“That was “flaunting”, me friend,” retorted Suresh with a smile. “And ah had on me red buckta. Ah was gettin ready for Mash!”
“Hold it chaps,” said Satiricus firmly as he sat up with a start. It all now made sense to him. He’d been all confused before, but now his brain was suffused with a light. And he’s only had a dozen Banks. “I don’t care if the two of you flouncing yuh petticoat. But if the government “flout” the new deadline, it mean they know the bill no good, but yet they backing it. Just like what the Jhaat and GrainJa saying!”
“Budday, is dat I bin tellin’ you all dis time!” shouted Cappo. “If de government pass dis bill, is how de opposition guh survive?”
“That’s right,” agreed Teacher Damad. “Is who you think giving them all their funding? That is why they can tell the regular businessmen to “go to hell!” when they ask them to support the bill.”
“I now understand,” said Satiricus quietly. “And you know the most important thing in a democracy is to have an opposition.”
“Well, dat is why de MuckrakerKN saying de guvment flout de bill,” said Cappo disgustedly. “Dey know is only de drug dealers and de money launders keeping the opposition alive.”
“Take away that, and you have no opposition in Guyana!” Exclaimed Satiricus in wonder. “How brazen can this government be?”
“Dey not only brazen. Dey brigah too. Dey flout de bill,” concluded Cappo