The Bandit Factory [Song]

Uploaded by IsDePanInMe
THE BANDIT FACTORY
By Chalkdust (2006)
Album: The Bandit Factory

Dedicated to all my grandchildren that they may never be bandits, and for Kelvin Pope, the Mighty Duke. Take this one brother.

"Wey all dem bandit come from?" Is a question all Trinis asking,
We were poor and yet how come we ent turn to shooting and killing?
Ah tell dem, it simple, all bandits come from de people
Bandits ent born big, my friend, is poor values dey get as children
So plenty people here, you know making bandit and dey don't know.

Let’s count…
So you make a baby before yuh time, little girl.
You make one.
Yuh child father hiding from Uncle Sam in de cold.
You make one.
You and your boyfriend, all yuh leave Primary School in Standard One
So to do homework you cyah help yuh son.
All yuh make another one.
You vex with the teacher 'cause he give yuh son two lash.
You make one.
He going to school with blue note and he cyah even spell cash.
You make one.
You ent give your two boys a sound cut ass for cursing in front of you
So instead of one bandit, you give de nation two.

Wey bandit come from? Ask Kamla my child
Wey bandit come from? Kamla should be tried
‘Cause is she stop teachers from cutting children backside.

"Wey all dem bandit come from?" All dem businessmen keep complaining
Dey say is people who come, deported from Uncle Sam’s kitchen
Ah tell dem, it simple, bandits does start from de cradle
When a man is a poor model, bandits does copy example
So plenty folks, I must admit, specialise in making bandit.

Let’s see…
You is a teacher, but children doh see you on Monday.
You make one.
You going to school but don’t teach, you only studying Play Whe.
You make one.
As a parent you don’t take time off to teach the little ones to pray
So de child don’t know ‘bout the life beyond.
All yuh make another one.
You in parliament but you getting on like a clown.
You make one.
You disrespect the Speaker and always shouting him down.
You make one.
You put a cuss bud hip-hop man on front page papers
Showing he gold chain and money
Well for your stupidity you gave de nation three
Wey bandit come from? Ask de DJ man
Wey bandit come from? 96.1
Every time you promote Buju Banton, you make one.

"Wey all dem bandits come from?" All dem politicians keep asking
Dey spending plenty lump sum but poor values dem children getting
A child must understand the sanctimonious nature of man
If he only knows, good lord, what’s inside one drop of human blood
Then that blood he cannot spill and a human being he can’t kill.

You is a police man, but you specializing in bribe.
You make one.
You call de radio station and boasting about yuh tribe.
You make one.
You is a doctor but before de patient sit down for an examination
You tell him that his bill is a thousand.
All yuh make another one.
You hide yuh bank book from de Integrity Commission.
You make one.
De airport money you tief and bank it in Switzerland.
You make one.
You ent want government to look good so you throw police reform out de door
Well for every month you ent change that law, you make four.

Wey bandit come from? Ask dem lawyer.
Wey bandit come from? Who charge people from Morvant
For a case, when you charge dem ten thousand, you make one.

"Wey all dem bandit come from?" Is a question newspapers asking
Yet dey 'fraid to tell Punch and Bomb dat their sex page have de youths rottening
You see friends, de media, some are irresponsible here
Instead of pushing cleanliness, hard work, chastity and good health
Dey making de youths obsessed with sex and material wealth.

You is a rat tiefing cocaine in de police station.
You make one.
You put cocaine in Sadiq Baksh water tank and run.
You make one.
De papers showing female calypsonians in a birth position
With man wining up on dem singers bambam.
All yuh make another one.
You is a judge freeing murderers all over de town.
You make one.
You on sick leave but dey find you working in London.
You make one.
You are a police man or a soldier and you tiefing ammunition
And den selling de bandits bullets live. You make five.

Wey bandit come from? Ask de Punch and Bomb
Wey bandit come from? With dey centrepage scum
Every time you show youths a naked woman, you make one.

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!

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A Note From The Gull

"Bandits ent born big." Thanks for this Chalkdust.

Yes, I fully agree that a human being's development begins in the womb and is shaped by the guardians and the wider society. I think we find it overwhelming to face this truth because we do realise that generations of neglect went into the products with which we are faced today and we fear that it will take that long or more to rectify the problems. So it is easier to grasp at the quick "fix." You hit on it exactly when you say that it is all about poor values and the most frightening as you outline is the undervaluing of human life and divinity in general. Other human beings exist to be used, exploited, cheated, lied to, and led down paths to destruction and all this for the worldly advancement of the thieves, whatever the colour of their collars.

About discipline and the little ones, I don't know if we should be nostalgic about physical violence a.k.a. corporal punishment in schools or anywhere else. Why pick on people who are a fraction of our size? Isn't that the same kind of bullying that the thugs engage in with the aid of their fists, guns, cutlasses, knives and crowbars. There must be other effective methods of correction/guidance. If there are, I cannot suggest any, since corporal punishment was a feature of my upbringing. My teachers and parents cut my "arr-tichoke" on a few occasions. I can tell you that as an adult, I do not reflect on these incidents with gratitude and I know that these "benedictions" did not make me a better person. As a child they filled me with rage, humiliation and resentment and I can remember each beating, where they took place and the implements that were used. In addition, I am even more reluctant to give dominion over any child's body and mind to some of the characters who are becoming teachers today (Not referring to the wonderful teachers who do exist.) People like yourself, who have had responsibility for many children over the years will probably be in a better position to comment.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare