http://www.newsday.co.tt/commentary/0,164675.htmlPlaying for the team?
PETER O'CONNOR Sunday, August 12 2012
As we continue through August to “celebrate” the anniversary of our Independence, I urge everyone to try to be more contemplative than celebratory. There is a tremendous danger in fooling ourselves that we have been successful –in any meaningful way —in our journey through this thing called Independence. If we are simply going to fete in red, white and black for a month —or even on through Republic Day —and then move on to “Carnival 2K13”, our slide into chaos will simply be accelerated.
But why not just fete on? Why stop to contemplate where we are, where we are going, or failing to go, and who is on board or not? In the past we have always smothered our fears and disappointments in fete, so why not continue?
Because that is the refuge of the addict, the alcoholic, those dependent upon the crutches of salve and denial to temporarily put our fears in the background while we continue to fool ourselves that tomorrow, or next week, or next month, we will somehow pull it all together and move forward. But no one knows what “somehow” is, or how it will work.
And fooling ourselves is something that we have become quite expert in doing. Therefore we can expect to continue with more of the same over the next few weeks… fooling ourselves while gaily wrapped in red, white and black.
So, at the risk of being accused of trying to spoil the fete, I urge organisations, if not individuals, to please use our Fiftieth Anniversary to take stock, recognise the truth of our current desperate condition, and begin to do some of the things we all know we need to do.
In short, I am asking you to become a Team Player for TT, rather than an individual participant trying, scheming and cheating to get the most from the team while giving the least.
We are seeing, as the Olympics in London come to a close today, some glowing embers of patriotism being fanned by some of our citizens.
And these stirrings of real patriotism over success which falls short of gold medals will create more lasting fires of genuine pride than frenzies and fireworks over medals and temporary illusions. The “fanning” to which I am referring is the growing acceptance by all levels of our society that reaching an Olympic Final is a tremendous achievement and honour. And if, in doing so, our athletes post their best performance ever, that, too, is worthy of accolade. But still among us lurk those who dash cold water on these young, dedicated people, and condemn them for coming sixth, seventh, or “last” in the Final.
These are the people— undoubtedly indoctrinated over the years by media which never had a perception of nation building or pride in commitment and effort— who used the word “Fail” every time an athlete or team did not win, who condemn George Bovell, Olympic Finalist!
Appreciating effort and advancement, even if those came without medals, demonstrates a maturing trend among our people. Surely London 2012 saw us put more athletes into the final of their event than ever before? And clearly it means that the best people are being chosen to represent us over there, and that they are building something to take us all higher, so that when we go to Rio in 2016, more of our expectations will be realised.
If only this could be so in the other facets of our lives? If only the players in politics, business, labour, the Arts and religion would put the team—Team TT— before their egos, before their friendships, and before their skewed private loyalties, then we would have begun to build an Independent Nation.
But we never play for the team or put country first.
That is why failed government ministers are given positions as Ambassadors to the UN and to real countries.
And when they embarrass us we talk about replacing them with people just as unqualified, and lacking in diplomacy, even if not as stupid.
What is wrong with our professional diplomats?
We all know that we have wasted two massive fortunes, on bling and corruption.
TT politicians and businessmen have built skyscrapers in Miami and Toronto that we cannot match here. And yet, here at home our infrastructure is crumbling; people do not have water only floods; we cannot even dispose of our own garbage; our health care, security and education systems are bad jokes, and we all know that our standards of decency, morality and ethics have collapsed.
Our leaders may have encouraged all this, but surely we could have stood and said “Enough! Please let us do something for TT!” It is not too late. But from where will come this cry, and who will stop to hear it?
