Satiricus was jubilant!! This was one day he was going to be in the driver’s seat!! No harassment from the fellas at the Back Street Bar, where he was wending his way! How could they find this proposal from the SARA boss to just give every citizen $1 million every year from oil revenues, objectionable?? Happy days were here again!! Who could object to free money?
“So, what’d you fellas think about the Professor’s oil-to-cash proposal?” Satiricus asked, once he’d taken his seat and taken a quaff of his beer.
“That he’s a nutty professor?” suggested Hari.
“Why would you say a thing like that?” said Satiricus in surprise. “You don’t think Guyanese should get some oil money directly?”
“Me ‘gree wid Hari,” said Bungi. “Me a wan po’re maan, but me na t’ink a wan good idea?”
“You too, Bungi,” with even greater surprise. “Why?”
“Waan t’ing me l’arn in life,” said Bungi slowly. “Wa sweet ah goat mouth, ah sour ah eh backside.”
“What could possibly go wrong in putting some money in people’s pockets?” asked Satiricus plaintively.
“Sato, me ah wuk hard like wan daag a de farm,” said Cappo, “an’ me na kek wan millian a year.”
“Right!” said Satiricus. “So the million will help you out!!”
“But the question, Sato,” interrupted Hari. “Will Cappo and Bungi keep on working at the farm if he get’s that million dollar free?”
“Damn right, me na guh wuk suh hard na mo’!” said Bungi. “Yuh t’ink me schupit?”
“But if you work, with the oil money you will have twice the income!” protested Satiricus.
“Da na de pint!” said Cappo. “Wha’ mek me sh’u’d still wuk suh hard?”
“And that’s why I said the Professor is nutty, Sato,” said Hari. “These fellas just read books!!”
“So you’re saying the free money will make low-paid workers lose the incentive to work,” said Satiricus with dawning understanding. “And we will get Dutch Disease!”
“Me na c’u’d seh am betta!” said Bungi.
