“Usain Bolt is a Jamaican foreigner; his name ain’t had no right pun nothing in Barbados. This is a insult to Bajan athletes, ’cause Jamaicans don’t like we and would never name no place in Jamaica after a Bajan!”
Mind you, this came from a Bajan, who only recently was jumping up like a kangaroo in front of their TV shouting hard, “We win!” when Bolt was setting all those world records and winning six Olympic gold medals.
But that is one argument I heard from nuff Bajans, after it was announced by principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, that the new sports complex there would be named after Jamaican sprint champion Usain Bolt.
I also heard some say, “I have nothing against Usain Bolt – he is a fantastic athlete. But we missed a great opportunity to recognise one of our local sporting heroes.”
While others grumbled, “Sir Hilary is to take up a big job at the UWI in Jamaica, so he trying to get in the Jamaicans’ good books from early.”
Meanwhile, those Bajans who support the idea maintain that the place is called the University of the West Indies and not the University of Barbados – it is a regional institution not a Bajan school. And that we need stop thinking so low-minded, embrace regionalism and see ourselves as one Caribbean people. They also remind those who oppose, that the Jamaicans named the cricket ground at the UWI Mona Campus in Jamaica after Barbadian cricket legend Sir Frank Worrell.
Well of course, those who oppose argue that Sir Frank Worrell spent much of his time living in Jamaica and he also worked at the UWI there. Plus his contribution to the region was captaining the West Indies cricket team, but when Bolt runs he runs for Jamaica.
But look, recognising our local athletes goes beyond putting their name on a building. We can’t just jump up and keep noise when a building isn’t named after our own, but then keep quiet when the National Stadium was lying in ruins for years and when several of our playing fields are in poor condition; grass want cutting, fields full o’ glass bottle and drink stoppers, changing facilities want fixing, and the lights at some fields mash up.
We athletes need money not only talk. They need money invested in proper equipment, coaches and world-class facilities. Many athletes, even world draughts champion “Suki” King, does got to walk ’bout like a common street beggar with cap in hand begging for money so they can go overseas to represent this country. Those are the things we should keep nuff noise ’bout.
Listen, we does got sporting events ’bout here and when you look in the stands, you does only see a dog and the watchman waiting to shut the place – not a soul ain’t gine to watch and support them.
So I don’t mind all this patriotic talk; we does pick and choose when we want to be patriotic. If you doubt me, just ask yourself this: if Jamaican Bolt was running in Christ Church on the same day and time that Bajan hurdler Ryan Brathwaite was running in St Lucy, who do you think most Bajans gine to watch?
So for me, six is half-dozen, I will not lose any sleep over who the complex is named after. They could even name it after me, ’cause, technically speaking, I am also an athlete: I does run my mouth and jump to conclusions regularly – just ask my wife. See ya.
Email madderic@hotmail.com