To have a little bit more context, let us have a look at the past fallouts between DR and Haiti.

#TBT

In 1937, dictator of DR, Rafael Trujillo, carried out the Parsley Massacre, slaughtering a gross amount of Haitians, along with anyone who was dark enough to be considered Haitian (Buh wa de..). And it didn’t even stop there! If there was a chance yuh was a lil red ting who was a Haitian, if you couldn’t roll the “r” in perejil (Spanish word for parsley), you gone too. Since then, not only was there just an invisible border separating these two countries, but there was now blood, malice and pure resentment. Then in 2013, DR added insult to injury when a law was passed, ruling to expel anyone born to Haitian immigrants….despite having lived in the Dominican Republic their entire lives. So yeah, men who doh even know what bonjour mean were threatened to be thrown into a country they, as far as they knew, had no connection with. However, turns out that international outcries led to the government softening their stance on the law the following year.

Story stay the same…

Nowadays, it seems that nothing has changed, where DR is once again attempting to “clean out” their country of undocumented Haitian migrants. Although DR has said that those who have begun the documentation process will not be in danger of deportation, the process includes being able to present a work permit from one’s employer…..which can be rel pain in the @ss to attain apparently. However, I don’t think I need to tell you what is expected to happen to those who have not thought of beginning the documentation process. And if yuh askin’ yuhself, where everybody else? Why are there no international bodies trying to intervene? Well, padna, DR is not the only country trying to get rid of their undocumented workers…in fact, it is something of a trend. So men staying silent cuz nobody could trow stones when dey in a glass house, right?

But, what we want to know is, why go through all dis bacchanal? Ah mean, sure Trinis and Tobagonians have we lil differences too, but oh gorrr, yuh doh see we throwin’ dem out OR vice versa! The thing is, in the Caribbean, for an area that tends to be so culturally diverse and can always boast of this…it seems that we are finding ourselves being stuck in the past mindset of our colonizers. Das where we really reach? If it is that we ever moved from where we were? So that’s why we asking, started from the bottom…now we where???? Because from this view…it seems like we still right dere.

*Dramatic Recap Music*

….Previously on Orange Is The New Jack

• First of all, Jack Warner, a.k.a former FIFA Vice President, was arrested last month facing charges on money laundering and corruption– with regard to diverting US$750,000 in emergency funds intended for victims of 2010 Haiti earthquake to an account in his name. But, doh worry, for alyuh who wearin’ yuh green drawers, he was already released on bail.

*Background music builds*

• Due to being put in the centre of ‘de bribery scandal, despite being amongst 17 other individuals involved, Jack Warner addressed T&aT on a segment called ‘The Gloves Are Off’ on TV6 (yeah, people does still watch da) after having bought time on the channel, to claim that he had details of FIFA’s corruption which he threatened to release.
• Hearing about Jack Warner’s appearance on TV6, John Oliver, a British comedian, decided to buy airtime on the local TV channel himself  in response to Jack Warner with ‘The Mittens of Disapproval Are On’ to directly roast Jack Warner, and even challenges him to act on his promise to release files that prove the corruption of Blatter and FIFA.

*Dramatic change of tune*

• Jack Warner then proceeded to throw back talk at John Oliver, where besides citing an article from the satirical newspaper ‘The Onion’, he repeatedly referred to Oliver as the “comedian fool” and the “American”. He avidly defended his nation as he believes that Oliver disrespected the country, but still expressed his distaste on the fact that TV6 took the comedian’s money to make a mockery of T&T on local television. (Hmmm, pot calling’ de kettle black, Jack?)
• The final throw is left in the hands of Oliver, where he challenges Jack, yet again (dese men doh tire), to respond to him with a better video, preferably one where he finds something else to quote other than satirical newspaper, and one where he uses background music other than the first search when you type in “epic, dramatic music” on Google…ah mean, come nah man Jack. Oliver ends his taunting video with fire and says, “Your move, Jack”….(but really Jack, if yuh cah handle the heat, PLEASE stay out ‘de _uckin’ kitchen!)

Cut into Intro…

So, now that we are all caught up, we at SCORCH want to know, what alyuh really thinkin’ about all dis?? There have been debates about whether John Oliver’s first address was more offensive towards T&T rather than being a jab solely at Mr. Warner himself. There’s also been questions about whether this rivalry has gone on waaaaay too long, or (believe it or not) if Uncle Jack really deserve all dis ole talk that he getting’. Regardless, let us know what YOU think…till then, stay tuned to this season of OITNJ.