Sports greats pay tribute to fathers
By Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Jun 13, 2014 at 9:31 PM ECTSporting heroes Brian Lara and Hasely Crawford have said their fathers were the driving force to their legendary success.
Both men spoke at a cocktail reception hosted by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, in observance of Father’s Day, on Thursday evening at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.
Lara said he was honoured to bring in Father’s Week with the “mother of the nation”.
He recalled that in 1989 he received a call from his father while he was at work in Angostura, informing him he had made the West Indies team.
Lara said he sat back in his chair and thought of the sacrifices his father had made for him, the love, support and lessons of fair play and sportsmanship.
Lara said he stood proud today as a father of two and there was no better template of a father than his dad.
He said his father never got to see him play, but he was the reason why he played.
Lara said his achievements were because of his father’s dedication for him to achieve his dreams.
Olympic Gold medallist Hasely Crawford said he came from a poor family and his father urged him to strive for better.
“Before he died, he said to me you must do something to get your family out of this rot,” he said.
Crawford said he’s not rich today but his family, his children whom he now lives for, live a better life.
Another honoured guest was the Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco), who received the Order of Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday.
He treated guests to some of his hit songs at the reception.
Persad-Bissessar, in her address, stressed on the importance of the role of a father.
She said her father’s care and concern for her moulded her into who she is today.
“My late father would be proud today to see what his love produced in me,” said Persad-Bissessar.
The Prime Minister noted the slayings over the past few weeks, including the murder of a nine-year-old boy.
She lamented the youths were getting caught up in violence and issued a call for fathers to step up to the plate and be good dads, to make false a statement that it is easier to father a child than to be a father to the child.
President Anthony Carmona also said the time was now for fathers to take the place in the home as protector and provider.
In his own life, Carmona recalled he had a devoted father, uncles and religious leaders as role models growing up.
He named several teachers who were instrumental in his life and again spoke of the need to have policy where there are more male teachers in the education system.
