Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his Jamaican counterpart Bruce Golding had a lot to cheer about this past week following the return of the Caribbean’s sprint stars from the just concluded Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Over the years Caribbean athletes have been underrated despite their successes at previous International Athletics competitions including the Olympic Games.
Don Quarrie and Hasley Crawford are two names that quickly come to mind. They took the world by storm in the 1970’s and at that time there was a runner by the name of James Wren Gilkes who was also outstanding for Guyana.
Guyana could have challenged any of these other regional countries in track and field with the likes of June Marcia Griffith, Clifton Schultz, Raefield `Pepe’ Beaton and Jennifer Inniss just to name a few but those days have since long gone.
Back then the Caribbean, Guyana included, had sounded a warning to the world and now it has manifested itself into some world record breaking feats.
The year 2008 has seen the United States, regarded as the super power of track and field, taking a back seat as the Caribbean stars out shone the Americans on their way to glory on the Beijing stage with Jamaican athletes dominating the Games, winning six gold medals to become stars of the region.
If we are to be guided by the recent “friendly” war of words, by Prime Minister Manning in which he sent a warning to the Jamaicans that the Trinidadians will be out to replicate the their success at the next Olympics in London then the Caribbean athletes will be a force to be reckoned with once again in 2012.
But it is not all talk, these two Caribbean islands have been putting a great deal of effort into the development of sports and they are now reaping the fruits of their labour.
In Guyana there are a lot of youngsters with the potential that could match any of their counterparts in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica yet we now have to sit back and watch their successes while even St. Kitts, the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada stride past us.
What has caused us to be lacking behind the rest of the region is surely not a million dollar question, but rather how we see sport and its development in Guyana as well as the benefits that can be derived from it.
Those regional countries have invested heavily in their sports infrastructure including the building of stadiums and other multi-sports complex.
In addition they have placed great emphasis in sport at the school level and have moved into the area of sports tourism because they see sports tourism as a means of helping to generate substantial income.
They have sent their best coaches on international courses and in some cases import foreign expertise to boost their programmes.
In Guyana we have paid lip service when it comes to the development of sport and there are many instances where it is evident, for example the proposed Durban Park Multi-Sports Complex.
Imagine, in the 21st century, this country still does not have a synthetics track for athletics or a velodrome for our cyclists although we have had athletes and cyclists who have shown the potential but have been denied the opportunity to moving from that stage to being the world’s best because of lack of proper facilities and other critical support.
Another example has to do with the nation’s footballers known as the Golden Jaguars. Just over a year ago the Golden Jaguars were making tremendous strides in the regional premiere league and expectations were high for their participation in the 2010 World Cup qualification competition.
Their exit from the World Cup qualification is now history but what remains the failure of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) to secure a stadium and much needed training facilities.
We have heard so much from all quarters including the Government and sports administrators over the years but the burning question remains, when can we cheer for our own?
