By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 22, 2021 — I’m currently in Baseball Heaven mentally. My beloved Washington Nationals today defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 12-9, and I simply refuse to allow my current serious financial problems to dampen my euphoria.
What’s more, although Jazz Chisholm went 0-4, the Miami Marlins defeated the New York Mets, 3-1. Jazz is currently batting .293, with 5 homers, 10 RBI and 8 stolen bases.
Strict COVID-19 restrictions are gradually being lifted in D.C., and more fans are beginning to attend games at Nationals Stadium, as you can see from the photo above taken at today’s game. I live just six blocks from the stadium, and I hope to see Jazz play in person when the Miami Marlins return to D.C. on July 19 for a three-game series.
Of course, that depends on whether I am not evicted before then, which is a distinct possibility if I do not make a substantial payment on the back rent that I owe before June 1, the date the D.C Superior Court Landlord/Tenant Court Judge set in his ruling on Wednesday, March 17, in favour of my landlord for me to pay the back rent that I owe.
A I have noted on more than one occasion, I clearly would not be in the financial position I am in if Minister of Foreign Affairs Darren Henfield had implement a proposal I submitted almost three years ago to continue doing on a contractual basis what I did at the Embassy of The Bahamas for four-plus years as Press, Cultural Affairs and Information Manager before the FNM became the government in May of 2017.
I was informed by Ambassador Sidney Collie that a revised proposal for $2,000 a month had been approved and this was subsequently confirmed by Attorney General Carl Bethel, yet Mr. Henfield has refused to implement my proposal for what reason.
What’s more, the Ministry of Tourism last December abruptly ended a year-long contractual agreement I had to help promote The Bahamas for $1,000 a month, even though I thought I was doing an excellent job “spreading the word” that The Bahamas—the country of my birth that I love with the passion of a true Androsian — is one of the world’s leading tourist destinations.
Ambassador Collie posted on his Facebook page on Saturday, May 22, 2021, that he is currently in The Bahamas on “home leave” and I took advantage of the opportunity to ask him to “please have a discussion” with Minister of Foreign Affairs Darren Henfield on the status of my proposal.
As a Bahamian in the diaspora who is desperately in need of assistance, I certainly hope that Ambassador Collie, who incidentally is doing a fantastic job as The Bahamas’ top diplomatic representative in the United States, will be able to convince Foreign Affairs Minister Henfield to remove whatever “stumbling bocks” are preventing him from implementing my proposal.
I actually started writing this primarily to congratulate my beloved Washington Nationals for bringing some joy into my life this afternoon with their 12-9 victory over Baltimore, but having gotten “carried away” discussing my dire financial situation, I would like to use this opportunity to once again appeal to “friends” in The Bahamas for financial assistance. My Royal Bank of Canada account number is: 05285-735-231-3.
