Source: www.guardian.co.tt
The fact that intelligent individuals who consider themselves paragons of virtue, health and justice have little or no compunction, telling lies in public is not new or unusual.
Dishonesty is a habit. There are individuals who fool themselves into believing they are clever rather than dishonest. In life any success in hiding the truth is temporary. People who spin a web of lies end up ensnaring themselves in their own folly. Statements are made and conclusions are drawn. Expert opinions are declared.
Individuals are maligned but then again it is never about the truth. It is really about a version of the truth. No one wants to accept responsibility. Make believe! Pull from the hat not one, not two but any number of excuses.
Blame them all but …. The results don’t lie. No one wants to say I was wrong. I made a mistake. It will not happen again. Desperate men and women will do anything to save their own skin.
Sport is about fair play and doing what’s right.Why then don’t we feel ashamed when we stand by silently and allow sport to degenerate into a farce? Why do we cower in the face of those who refuse to show contrition? Is it fear or cowardice? Or is it compassion and pity? Is it better to refuse to contribute to the sorry charade and face the barbs and slings of those who choose to hide behind falsehoods? Truth is irrelevant. Those who want to project themselves as exemplars should think twice - then again all and sundry appear to share the view that sport is a pappy show and people involved in sports are a bunch of dim-witted fools; even though not everyone who claims to be an expert is an expert. To each his or her own.
For all the pain, sorrow and embarrassment, sport remains one of this country’s shining lights, all we have to do is focus on what is right with sport rather than what’s wrong. Fortunately there is much good happening to provide motivation and inspiration. But if T&T were not such a paradise it would be hell on earth. It would be remiss of me not to extend condolences to the family of former West Indies and T&T opening batsman Michael Joey Carew. If ever there was an example of a faithful servant to sport in T&T it would be Mr Carew. I am not sure this country understands or appreciates the depth and quality of his unselfish service to T&T. In many ways his passing is the end of an era. With money in sport now the main thing, what one can get out of sport rather than what one can give to sport is the main motivator for involvement in sport.
The time for those who do what they do simply for love of play—that era is fast ending. Mr Carew always had time for a word of advice, a wave or a smile, not much happening in local sport evaded his attention.
A regular at Sunday morning mass at St Theresa’s Church in Woodbrook, a Fatima college old boy, an unrepentant Woodbrook resident and Queen’s Park Cricket Club member. He will be missed in more ways than one. He was never afraid to call it as he saw it. Agreeing with him or not was not his issue. In these times of deceit and hidden agendas, we need more, not less, Joey Carews. May Michael Joey Carew rest in peace. To Mrs Carew and sons Michael junior and David, thank you for sharing him. Many take for granted the sacrifice families make when they allow the servants and stewards of T&T sport the space and time to serve.
Brian Lewis is the Honorary Secretary General of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee-www.ttoc.org. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the TTOC.