Caribbean unification through sports

Last week, the region stopped, and by extension the world, to celebrate, recognise and pay homage to the Caribbean athletes, namely the Jamaicans, Usain Bolt and Melain Walker for their record breaking performances at the 29th Olympiad in Beijing, China.{{more}}

Despite individualism, competition and the cultural diversity, Caribbean people became a single entity as nationality took a back seat as everyone saw himself or herself as a West Indian.

Several of the daily newspapers carried Bolt’s achievements on their front page. At least a good diversion from the bloody stories that often greet the eyes.

It was this same sort of unbridled support and energy that drove the West Indies Cricket Team to the dizzy heights, during the 1980’s and 90’s.

Or in the recent past as everyone rallied behind the Trinidad and Tobago 1989 Strike Squad, as they tried to get to World Cup Finals in Italy in 1990.

The region was all in support of Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz’s entry to the 1998 finals in France, and it was the same in 2006 when Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors made it to Germany.

For the Caribbean to have the fastest two men and the fastest three women in the world at the same time is phenomenal.

To leave Beijing setting four new records, speaks volume of us a people with struggling economies.

Undoubtedly, we have the SKILL, but often lack the WILL.

The achievements came at a time when the region’s leaders are finding it difficult to get the Caricom machinery working, when the West Indies Cricket Board is a ramshackle group of men; at a time when the talks of a political union of some Caribbean countries have once again surfaced.

The successes came also days before the opening of CARIFESTA, which seeks to combine the cultures of the Caribbean on one stage. Unfortunately, the event does not hold much significance for some territories.

In addition, while the world focussed on the exploits of our athletes, there is a divide on the wisdom of signing on to the much skeptical and contentious Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), early next month.

Significantly, too, they occurred when our cricketers are no longer world beaters, but are beaten by the world.

For once in a long time, the Caribbean has something in sports “feh smile bout”.

What those athletes have done was to show to the world that there is an abundance of talent stock waiting to be exposed.

History will show that the Caribbean is replete with outstanding achievements in almost every facet of life.

But just like everything else, the region over the past week had to be subjected to the foppish response of Olympics boss Jacques Rogge who told Usain Bolt to show more respect for opponents. Rogge was referring to Bolt’s alleged showboating after his record breaking performances in the 100 and 200m. What’s up with you, Mr. Rogge?

But as we build, our own breaks us. Ato Boldon, of Trinidad and Tobago, whom the region, too, celebrated while he did his thing on the track, joined with Rogge in condemning Bolt’s forms of celebrations.

Bolt’s reactions were a reflection of the sometimes spontaneous arrogance of the “Caribbeanness” in us. His trademark dance will be learnt and histrionics will be imitated the world over. Do they want to take that away too?

The Americans celebrate their feats in their way, who questions them?

Away from the detractors, Bolt and the others’ successes are the products of hard work and determination, a message that needs to be reinforced with regularity rather than intermittently, to our Caribbean people, as we grapple with the day to day challenges of life.

Here at home, we can feed off Pamenos Ballantyne, who is an example of self motivation and discipline to his trade.

Our young people can now have someone like Bolt to idolise, away from the pop stars who sometimes infiltrate them with undesirable traits.

The euphoria generated by the region’s athletes is an occasion for the governments of the Caribbean to really put sports as a centrality of national development, and use it as a means of gathering support for integration process.

One social commentator once said that our sportsmen and women bring more recognition to the region than the politicians. So true!

The kind of favourable publicity the Caribbean has gained cannot be measured in dollars and cents.

But can we as a region really and truly use the accomplishments of our Caribbean athletes and use it as a fillip towards achievements in other spheres of life?

Or will we after this excitement has weaned go back into our form of singularity until the time comes around again for us to see ourselves a unit?

But no one will ever celebrate that obstruction called the “Mound” at the Sion Hill Playing Field.

email: kingroache@yahoo.com