EVERY so often, countries, like individuals, are blessed with opportunities of one type or another. It is not uncommon to find that if these opportunities are taken, the path – for countries as for individuals - can lead to greatness.
Keshorn Walcott’s gold medal victory in the javelin throw at the London 2012 Olympics, in my view, is an example of such an opportunity. Can this international sporting achievement by a nineteen-year. old youth help address some of the social and economic challenges facing Trinidad and Tobago at this point in time? I think that it can.
First, I believe that an examination of what it takes to get to the Olympics will reveal important lessons in sacrifice and discipline for young people and their guardians, especially for those who see no hope other than in deviant behaviour. Second, I believe that there is a close correlation between sports and good health, which if explored can deliver significant benefits. Third, victories like that of Keshorn’s possess a business dimension which offer opportunities for those who can exploit them. Fourth, other Caribbean countries like Jamaica and the Dominican Republic did even better than Trinidad and Tobago in the Olympics. Are there some untapped synergies in regional collaboration in sport waiting to be explored?
Let us begin with the lessons that might be passed on. Preparing for the Olympics would have meant many hours of hard work, sacrifices and discipline for Keshorn Walcott and our other Olympians. This must be clearly demonstrated to the young ones. The Ministry of Education and organisations such as Parent Teacher Associations should draw on this. Schools must be properly equipped with coaches and facilities and parents must be supportive.The building of confidence and self-esteem must have been an important dimension of Keshorn’s victory. As I understand it, the lack of self-esteem contributes in no small way to poor performance and also to a tendency towards anti-social behavior, including criminal behavior, in our schools and in our country. I believe that we can use this country’s success at the Olympics to educate and motivate our young people in wholesome endeavours which go way beyond purely sporting activities.
The second area in which the current euphoria over sport might be used is in health education, not only in schools but also in the wider community. Poor eating and lifestyle choices lead to financial and other burdens on families and communities and ultimately on the government’s purse. Can the current environment be used to promote mass individual involvement in physical activity of a sporting nature in villages across Trinidad and Tobago? The all too frequent observance of expensive night lighting of vacant savannahs on evenings is a phenomenon that should be corrected. Can the relevant local government bodies and sporting clubs make better use of these expensive facilities for education and training that is likely to bring relief to overburdened health centres? I think so. The Ministries of Sport and Health undoubtedly have important roles but so too do individuals and community groups. The cry for diversification of this economy seems to be growing louder as finding new hydrocarbon resources become more difficult and costly. In this context, mention is often made of such areas as sports and health tourism as niche markets that this country might wish to promote as part of an overall diversification strategy. Is this a good time to capitalise on this excitement, so that all sporting businesses, large and small, would be identified and energised into a force for the development of sports-related businesses? Existing businesses include sports companies, stores, consultants, medics, teachers and ancillary sporting activities. While the Ministries of Trade and Tourism and their agencies have been active in some areas, efforts must be sustained long enough for sufficient businesses to catch the fire, so to speak. In this context, it is important that the young Olympians be exposed to the business opportunities that arise from their recent performances. They must be guided in capitalising on them.
Finally, the Caribbean taken as a whole has done better than many regions of the world at the Olympics. Just look at the statistics on various websites such as http://www.medalspercapita.com.While we are aware of our islands’ isolationist tendencies, must these prevent us from identifying and exploiting synergies through the sharing of sporting facilities? There is no reason why some territories might not provide world class, cost-sharing facilities that can be the training ground for sufficient states in the region and maybe further afield. What about the sharing of coaches or the hosting of sporting events of a manageable scale across the region?
The success of Keshorn Walcott and other local athletes at the London Olympics, has pointed us to existing possibilities and the heights to which we, citizens of a small country, can aspire. This lesson is not new but the truth is that we have not fully grasped the opportunities that have arisen, in a way that would have propelled us to a new level of development. As we embark on the next 50 years of nationhood, let’s hope it is going to be different this time around.
Source: www.newsday.co.tt