By ADRIAN GIBSON

ajbahama@hotmail.com

FIRSTLY, let me congratulate our 2013 CARIFTA team for their gallant representation of our country at the 42nd annual CARIFTA Games. That said, I have observed some shortcomings relative to the teams we fielded as well the overall organisation of the games. (I have not forgotten my promised follow-up column on BPC/oil, but as I have been sent quite a bit of information by sources and am currently delving into more research, I have delayed that for another week or two).

Frankly, whilst we finished second with 31 medals (on home soil), we finished with nine less medals than we did in Bermuda last year. Notably, we had hardly any participants in the distance races—in fact, in every race beyond the 400 meters, our athletes were either absent (e.g. 5,000 metres) or were so nondescript that they made no appreciable dent in the overall outcome—and barely fielded a competitive grouping in the field events, a part of athletics that we once dominated. Noticeably, some events were put on even though there was only two or three participants, for example, the pole vault competition had only two participants!

The CARIFTA Games are supposed to be the junior Olympics of the Caribbean and, whilst I am satisfied with the job we did, the mistreatment of the media during the games was unacceptable. Both the local and international media complained of internet/broadband access, that the media rooms were improperly outfitted, that the media were set-up in a zone where they were facing the parking lot rather than the track/field and, I have even heard reports that some journalists were relegated to leaning on track-side railings to observe and take in the sights—with notebook or recorder in hand. Who organised this aspect of the Games—was it blundering, bumbling persons who couldn’t appreciate the value of the media’s comfort and the international embarrassment it could cause the Bahamas?

The national stadium is impressive and awe-inspiring. It is world class and the grounds are immaculately manicured. I felt as proud as a peacock to have visited that edifice for the first time. The stadium should be painted though—either the colours of the flag or another appropriate colour.

Although ZNS seemingly got it together, the initial commentating on the network was horrendous. It was embarrassing to receive calls from friends both here in the Bahamas and in the wider Caribbean complaining about the unprofessional commentary rendered, particularly by sports caster Charles Fisher on Saturday night. The screaming, hooting and hollering whilst broadcasting such an international event was uncalled for, as was Mr Fisher’s off-the-wall comments, unsuitable jokes and horrifically biased commentary. At one point, Mr Fisher went into what could only be described as an impassioned tirade, saying: “Jamaica! Bahamas! Jamaica! Bahamas! Back and forward! Back and forward!....Who it ga be, who it ga be?”

I grew up on listening to Fisher’s broadcasts and I think he’s a likeable chap; however, he got emotionally carried away. Generally, Fisher has always been a good sportscaster, but Ricardo Lightbourne should be utilised by ZNS as its lead broadcaster during all future international sporting events and, moreover, he should be called upon to train some of the more inexperienced broadcasters relative to such events. Lightbourne seems to be well-versed and possesses the requisite experience as a broadcaster and an athlete of yesteryear.

Whatever happened to the Bahamas Games? If we really wish to field the best Bahamian athletes throughout the Family Islands, common sense dictates that the government and corporate Bahamas should invest in relaunching these games, which allowed each island to showcase its best home-grown talent and allowed local and international scouts to see the best of our archipelago performing in order to select them for future national teams and potential scholarships to various colleges. Indeed, these Games as well as a national sports academy—as promised by Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson—would allow the Bahamas to select better, more diverse national teams going forward.

I paid five dollars to park in the stadium’s parking lot during the recent games, but I noticed that far more persons seemingly chose to park along the verges and outside the parking lot’s gates. Was that initially accounted for by the organising committee?

Whilst I thought that the opening ceremonies of the CARIFTA Games was creditable, I felt that the criticism levelled at my friend Sonovia Pierre (who expressed to me her disappointment) because she sang a song that featured English and Creole lyrics was small-minded and parochial. Novie, in her zeal to accommodate several of the French/Creole-speaking countries participating in CARIFTA, displayed her bilingual talents in a song that I thought was quite fitting.

I have never met Sports Minister Dr Danny Johnson, but I am impressed by some of the ideas he has announced thus far. Notably, he has also apologised to the media for the CARIFTA debacle. That said, I watched an interview during the games where he paid homage to three former sports ministers by sharing the CARIFTA spotlight with them. I thought that that was respectful and dignified. Moreover, this week he has promised—on radio— the construction of a sporting village and hotel to be built behind the College of the Bahamas’ School of Hospitality and I intend to hold him to that pledge.

Why didn’t we adopt the approach of the International Olympic Committee and have all the athletes walk out as one united body during the closing ceremonies? Why did they come out as individual competitors/countries when the Games had concluded? And why did the organising committee of the CARIFTA Games wait until the end of the night, on the cusp of the closing ceremonies, to issue medals? Did they not think that it made the medal presentations seem chaotic and rushed (plus, upon conclusion of the last relay, quite a number of persons left as they weren’t willing to wait around for medals to be given out immediately before the closing ceremonies)?

Indeed—even with the glitches—I think that with a state-of-the-art stadium and a progressively developing sports centre complex, the Bahamas should seek to host CARIFTA and as many international sporting events as possible. My sincere congratulations are extended to Golden Girl Shaunae Miller and my former student Stephen Newbold (whom I tutored in social studies at my residence). Stephen is a tremendous person and he has my full support!

ON RODNEY MONCUR AND THE POLICE

On Thursday, I contended that it must be a sick joke how Rodney Moncur was arrested and charged for committing a “grossly indecent act” by posting the pictures of his nephew (who allegedly died in police custody) and that of the bruised buttocks of an alleged victim of police brutality. But, whatever happened to the investigation into the persons who posted the pictures of the Nellie Mae Brown? Why weren’t they ever charged? At this rate, I guess all persons with biology books should also be arrested, huh? Should we also charge everyone who goes out wearing a skeleton suit for Halloween?

As Bahamians, we should not sit calmly and see such injustice without standing for righteousness and justice.......is a man’s just activism so offensive that he must pay such a price? Mr Moncur has been outspoken in speaking up for the poor, the downtrodden and the disenfranchised.

Bahamians must now stand with him.

CV BETHEL’S FATHER FIGURE DAY!

On March 26, I was invited to CV Bethel’s Father Figure Day celebrations by a former student. I felt honoured to have been invited along with a cadre of other father figures that ranged from Minister for Investments and Pinewood MP Khaalis Rolle, Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells, Pastor TG Morrison, Director of Religious Tourism Dwight Armbrister, Pastor Raymond Wells, Assistant Police Commissioner Hulan Hanna, former principal and National Insurance Board Inspector Marvin Duncombe and so on. We were all assigned individual classes and I was assigned to speak to grade 12H1, where the homeroom teacher is Mr Adderley.

Indeed, it felt heavenly to see so many of my former students—from junior high— in this class. In addressing them, I incorporated pop culture, past experiences and an interactive approach to discussing issues of leadership, their future possibilities and encouraged them to always strive for excellence as only the best is good enough. I thank this class, my former student (Terrinique Thompson of 12C) who invited me and the entire staff and administrative body of CV Bethel. I think that such a day should be duplicated in all schools throughout the Bahamas and CV Bethel has taken on a noble cause, recognising that many of today’s students are from fatherless homes.

CONDOLENCES

I wish to extend my sincere condolences to my classmate Hilbert Collie, his brother Sidney Collie and the entire Collie family on the tragic loss of their mother, sister and brother-in-law during the fatal mishap involving an emergency flight in Mayaguana Thursday morning.