The Official Promulgation
August 18, 2017
Feast of Sts Anne and Joachim
August 18, 2017

Salute our golden boys

It has long been stated, even in song, that everybody loves a winner. That’s how we feel today as we bask in the glory of gold handed to us by our relay team.

Stand up and salute our “golden boys” – the 4×400 relay team of Lalonde Gordon, Machel Cedenio, Jereem Richards and Jarrin Solomon – who brought great joy to our hearts winning gold for us for the first time in that event. Jereem Richards also made his mark individually by snatching bronze in the 200-metre final.

Of course, the politicians got into the act praising and ‘bigging’ up the winners as well as the losers and pledging their full support. But, was it only lip service? For if we are to pursue more outstanding achievements in sport, there is need for greater support from the public as well as corporate Trinidad and Tobago. Financial support must not only come from the government and State companies: the private sector also has a role to play.

The team, even though it came back triumphantly with medals – gold and bronze – were lamenting the fact that not enough attention was being paid to their preparation and sustenance while pursuing their goals abroad. In the end, commitment to our athletes and faithfulness to that commitment will always redound to the credit of Trinidad and Tobago.

We have nothing but kudos to offer the team that has put us – a small country – on the map with fantastic results in the sporting world.

Scenes of jubilation dominated the newspapers and television screens and as the victory sunk home by rerun after rerun, there began all kinds of calls for rewards for the medallists – the usual.  It was really a joy to see the family and friends of Jereem Richards watching the race on television and then the sincere outpouring of love and affection at his and T&Ts accomplishment.

In this time when our country is going through so many crises – economic decline, low oil and gas prices, the escalating murder rate, labour threats and total criminal behaviour – these athletes have done us proud, offering the positivity we need at this time.

As fate would have it, at the same time we were celebrating our “golden victory” in athletics, we found out that the new Juniper platform had begun producing gas. That will mean so much to our sagging economy.

We have always competed at the IAAF World Championships in London, but this year our athletes did very well, the women running their way into the semi-finals and Keshorn Walcott throwing his javelin into the finals. While we admit there were some disappointments, it was really Trinidad and Tobago at its best.

As we boast of our victories and pander our athletes, we must not forget they need all the help they can get to make their dreams become reality, as they reach for the stars in their future endeavours.

We stand behind them and give them our full support.