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gilly@tstt.net.tt
Being
a patriot
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Are citizens expected to sac-rifice their dreams for
staying in their homeland to con-tribute?
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Patriotism a sensitive topic which involves personal choice.
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Every country needs patriots who will fight to the end.
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Are our achievers too hasty to lend their talent to foreign-ers?
What
does being a patriot mean? Does it involve refusing lucrative
offers that would mandate a person to leave his country?
Or is a citizen expected to make the ultimate sacrifice
and stay in his homeland at the expense of not having his
dreams and lifelong ambitions fulfilled?
Is it appropriate that the phrase “putting country
first” must be given its coldest and most literal interpretation?
Or is there some element of reasonableness that must be
factored into the equation?
Obviously, these must have been the hard questions that
Ato Boldon asked himself as he contemplated whether he should
resign as an opposition senator and accept a position as
the coach for the national sprint team in Saudi Arabia.
As Boldon indicated, it was not an easy decision and the
issue as to what he should do plagued his mind for some
time. In the end however, the retired Olympian explained
that “…there are things right now that I have
to do while I am still at this age and while I am still
being given the opportunity…I feel that it is a question
of striking while the iron is hot.”
It is not for me to state whether Boldon’s decision
is a right one for that would prompt the obvious question:
right for who?
What I can say is that there are people who have made the
ultimate sacrifice and deprived themselves of personal gain
and fulfilment in order to stay in place and contribute
positively to the development of their country. Although
such people may never get the deserved recognition, the
fact is that many have benefited from their contribution.
Make it an issue
The issue of patriotism is a sensitive topic and one which
involves personal choice.
There are thousands of people who have left their homelands
in search of a better place to live for themselves and their
children. There are numerous instances in which our nationals
have gone abroad because of the crime situation which this
regime has allowed to escalate out of control.
It is very difficult to encourage people to return home
or to stay on our shores when the opportunities for personal
and professional development are much greater in other countries.
But we are a relatively young nation and can ill-afford
to lose our most important resource—the human resource.
Think of the droves of scholars who, after obtaining their
degrees, prefer to remain abroad rather than come back home
to share their knowledge.
If their intention is to return when they have fully completed
their academic or other training, then such people ought
to be commended. But there are others who for some reason
have grown to resent their homeland and have nothing good
to say about the land of their birth.
Their criticism does not fall into the category of constructive
and is wholly and understandably offensive to all who have
exercised the option to do all within their power to make
our country a better place.
I make no apology for being a die-hard patriot who firmly
believes that each human being is duty bound to stay and
fight in his/her country to ensure that truth, freedom and
justice are available to all.
I do not impose this belief on others and I am grateful
that there are those who think in similar fashion.
In the same way that not everyone is meant to be a leader,
not every person possesses the stamina required to make
the wrong things right. Every country needs patriots who
will fight to the very end, whatever the price and despite
the loss.
Back to Boldon
Our loss of the brilliance and skill of Boldon to another
country is a matter which we must address. Is it that we
do not do enough for our outstanding sportsmen and therefore
always run the risk of losing them to foreign contenders?
Are we a society that only claims those who make us proud
after they have succeeded with little or no encouragement
from their nation?
There is a constant complaint that we do not sing the praises
of our heroes; that we wait until the death of our prophets
to laud praise on them that, if possible, would guarantee
their resurrection.
Hasely Crawford, who did his country proud when he won the
gold medal in the 100-metre Olympic event, was treated with
scant regard before and for some time after his marvelous
achievement. It took years before Crawford was given the
thanks and recognition that he deserved.
One would have hoped that the same mistake would not have
been made with all the other citizens who have made tremendous
accomplishments in the fields of academics, sports and culture.
We must ask ourselves what support is given when these achievers
are facing their darkest moments.
Boldon did indicate that one factor which made him accept
the offer to coach is that he had been treated well by the
offeror many years before when Boldon was still a struggling
athlete in training.
Is it that our achievers are too hasty to lend their talent
to foreigners or is it that we do nothing to keep them on
our shores?
Just a quickie
When our athletes do well, should we, in addition to naming
promenades and stadiums in their honour, make proper provision
for them so that they can share their knowledge and expertise
training young, local, potential talent?
Or is it expected that they should of their own volition
seek to give back to their country? Should we take the advice
of the late President of the United States, John F Kennedy,
and ask what we can do for our country instead of what our
country can do for us?
These are not easy questions and perhaps there are no right
answers.
As an aside, for those who need a quick dose of patriotism—eat
the cascadura.
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