Page 4 - The St. Kitts-Nevis Observer Issue-1158-06012017

Page 4 The St. Kitts-Nevis Observer. Friday January 6, 2017 COMMENTARY

Editorial The Gaskell Family Nakba

Thanksgiving Nakba in the heading entrance into the

If all things were equal, one would expect that once means ‘catastrophe’ world, where he
every seven years, the world would experience what
it experiences within the past week when Old Year’s and is the word used would stay with his
Day was a Saturday and New Year’s Day is a Sunday.
The year ended on the last day of the week and the by the Palestinians to mother, and not be
new one started on the first day of the week. The fact
that the world had to wait 10 years since 2006 for the describe their forcible removed by others for
stars to line up to make this happen simply confirms
what we always knew – that the world is not an even- eviction from their weighing, measuring,
ly balanced place. The best that we can hope for,
therefore, is for our fair share. We know too that in all homeland in 1948. checking under bright
things and everything we should give thanks to the
Almighty God. After 70 years the hospital lights.
In that regard, we give thanks to our many advertisers
- businesses and persons - who have faithfully adver- process still contin- Friends of theirs in the
tised with us and who have helped to make us the
newspaper that we are today. We give thanks too, to ues, although not in Federation had had
our many contributors who have shared opinions and
information with us so that we, in turn can educate such an overt fashion. ‘happy events’ suc-
and inform you, our readership. Mostly, we appreci-
ate the loyalty of our readership. On the night of cessfully at home.
This is Issue No. 1158 of our paper. That is, we are
in our 23rd year of publication. God has taught us to December 26th/27th Theirs would be no
number our days, and He has lengthened them for us.
For this we are also very thankful. To paraphrase a 2016 my family different. It was. It is
quote we have seen, we are only one newspaper, but
still we are one. We cannot do everything, but still we endured its own our Nakba.
can do something. What we can do we should do,
and what we should do, by the grace of God, we will Nakba. At a home The family had a joy-
do. Amen. ous Christmas.
The lining up of the stars makes 2017 special. How birthing my first Valerie was excited
special it will become depends on all of us. So we about the impending
pray for tolerance and we pray for peace. May all that grandchild, James birth. At 6:40am the
we do as a newspaper, as a people, as a nation next day her waters
cause us all to be more productive. Edward Milnes broke, contractions
Happy and Prosperous 2017 to all! began and a diary was
Gaskell, son of my James Gaskell kept describing the
Syndicated columnist contractions and their
Charles and his girl- timings and their com-
an invasive technique. munications through-
friend Valerie (the Two days later, Valerie out the day with the
ran a very high fever, and midwife. The midwife
children) was born this turned them away came at 6.30pm. Her
from the Medical two helpers arrived
full term but never Profession, and back to later.
natural childbirth at
drew breath. home. For this they
knew they had to have a
At about 5:00am on midwife. One was This family believes,
the 27th December I found. She came to or at least I do, as a
found myself stand- check Valerie on two Journalist, that the
ing next to Dr. Liburd occasions. On December only way to advance is
in the emergency sec- 14th Valerie registered at to acknowledge the
tion of the hospital. the Alexandra Hospital facts and to depict
Many things are now ‘just in case’ and the next them truthfully and
a blur, including that day she saw Dr. Essien accurately. We try to
conversation, but I do and had an ultrasound. forgive ourselves and
know that very gently This showed the baby in others for our deficien-
he was encouraging a breech position. She cies and inadequacies.
me to write to try to told the midwife that We relied upon the
discourage home same day. This should professionalism of the
birthings. You have a have been a red flag for a midwife. It was a mis-
lot of influence, he home birth. It was indi- placed trust.
said. I demurred, but cated that one of the mid-
let us see. Here is an wife’s ‘helpers’ could
incomplete story of turn the baby. She could-
our home birthing n’t. The midwife made
Nakba. an appointment to check
Valerie on December
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Kenneth Williams Celia and I went to 23rd but she cancelled. So, midwife, I address
General Manager: Julio Rosario England in May 2016. you. More of the ‘if
On our return in early The children were inno- only’ and ‘what if’. Why
St. Kitts Nevis June, the children told us cent, and naive. All they did you not, when you
POB 657, Lower Market Street #1 Observer Plaza, Observer Drive how happy they were wanted was to give their knew the result of the
Basseterre, St. Kitts, W.I. Charlestown, Nevis, W.I. that Valerie was preg- little boy, to be called ultrasound, say that a
Tel.: (869) 466-4994 Tel.: (869) 469-5907 nant. We shared their Jem in the family, the home birth was potential-
Fax: (869) 466-4995 Fax: (869) 469-5891 delight. They would plan most natural and easy ly dangerous? Why did
Email:observsk@sisterisles.kn Email: observnv@sisterisles.kn a home birth, they said. I you pay no attention to
was against this, saying the requests of the moth-
Website: newstkittsnevisobserver.com that if anything went er when she said some
wrong, which most likely three hours before the
Editorial Policy: The Observer reserves the right to edit, rewrite, summarise it would not, then the birth that she did not feel
or reject any unsolicited material. We will assume that all letters addressed to hospital would have the normal and wanted to go
The Observer or its staff are intended for publication unless otherwise stated. equipment, drugs and to the hospital? No
Letter writers are required to sign their names and are asked to include a tele- experience needed. I was woman in extreme labour
phone number to allow verification. Views expressed in letters, commentaries insufficiently persuasive. is in a fit condition to
or personal columns do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of this news- Indeed I felt warned off insist. Your helper ‘M’
paper. Limit submissions to 1000 words the subject. I expect I told her that it was her
should have insisted and first baby and she should
insisted, but who knows. rest and have some tea.
This is only one of the Why did you not over
“what ifs” that form the rule your helper who is
chain of events bringing not a midwife and
about our Nakba. Please instead, accompany
go to see the gynaecolo- Valerie to the hospital or
gist in St Kitts. He has a send for the ambulance?
good reputation. They At 11.00 pm, a little over
checked him out and three hours before the
made an appointment. baby tried to emerge, you
They came back from checked and found that
their visit tremendously the cervix had dilated
happy. They liked him only 2 cms, a measure-
and thought him very
professional. He took Continued on page 22
ultrasound pictures, per-
haps unfortunately using

CMYK