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Get it together, Minister Babsy Grange
On The Sporting Edge
Paul Reid
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Once again our track and field ambassadors have made us proud.
Up to the end of yesterday's fifth day of the eight-day 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Jamaica's athletes had won seven medals including three golds, two silvers and two bronze including a World Record by the inimitable Usain Bolt in the 100m on Sunday.
And once again the nation is caught up in the frenzy of the exploits of these magnificent athletes and even the petty and not-so-petty squabbles prior to and during the events has not spoiled the joy we have all been basking in.
No doubt the celebrations will continue well after Sunday's closing ceremonies and will stretch into the coming weeks.
No doubt the Ministry of Sports and the Government will make another attempt to properly honour the athletes later in the year.
After last year's poorly-planned and way too far dragged out celebrations which turned into a fiasco, it is hoped is there will be better planning this year.
Despite having sufficient time to put together something fitting for the heroics, the organisers made a hash of things including forgetting something as basic as water for the athletes during the motorcade in Kingston.
What was to be the coupe de grace, a banquet at a swanky Kingston resort also fell flat due to what should have been a matter of course, timely and proper service of food, was also lacking.
While the idea to send the Olympians back to their high schools and communities last year was good, it turned out to be impractical, probably because the logistics were not that well thought out.
If there are to be celebrations this year, maybe they can be condensed into a maximum of three days.
One wonders whether however there will be any money left over from the Ministry of Sports given the large and totally unnecessary contingent presently in Berlin, doing Lord knows what?
It appears that no major overseas meet has escaped the Minister this year, be it the Penn Relays, the Reebok Grand Prix or now the World Championships and the question must be asked, what does she add to the performances except for the now-way-too frequent photo-ops with the successful athletes.
At the last two Penn Relays high school athletes who could barely stand after gruelling events were forced to wait while the Minister and her entourage made their way to the podium for photos.
Maybe someone forgot who really is important in these situations.
Get it together, Minister Babsy Grange
On The Sporting Edge
Paul Reid
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Once again our track and field ambassadors have made us proud.
Up to the end of yesterday's fifth day of the eight-day 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Jamaica's athletes had won seven medals including three golds, two silvers and two bronze including a World Record by the inimitable Usain Bolt in the 100m on Sunday.
And once again the nation is caught up in the frenzy of the exploits of these magnificent athletes and even the petty and not-so-petty squabbles prior to and during the events has not spoiled the joy we have all been basking in.
No doubt the celebrations will continue well after Sunday's closing ceremonies and will stretch into the coming weeks.
No doubt the Ministry of Sports and the Government will make another attempt to properly honour the athletes later in the year.
After last year's poorly-planned and way too far dragged out celebrations which turned into a fiasco, it is hoped is there will be better planning this year.
Despite having sufficient time to put together something fitting for the heroics, the organisers made a hash of things including forgetting something as basic as water for the athletes during the motorcade in Kingston.
What was to be the coupe de grace, a banquet at a swanky Kingston resort also fell flat due to what should have been a matter of course, timely and proper service of food, was also lacking.
While the idea to send the Olympians back to their high schools and communities last year was good, it turned out to be impractical, probably because the logistics were not that well thought out.
If there are to be celebrations this year, maybe they can be condensed into a maximum of three days.
One wonders whether however there will be any money left over from the Ministry of Sports given the large and totally unnecessary contingent presently in Berlin, doing Lord knows what?
It appears that no major overseas meet has escaped the Minister this year, be it the Penn Relays, the Reebok Grand Prix or now the World Championships and the question must be asked, what does she add to the performances except for the now-way-too frequent photo-ops with the successful athletes.
At the last two Penn Relays high school athletes who could barely stand after gruelling events were forced to wait while the Minister and her entourage made their way to the podium for photos.
Maybe someone forgot who really is important in these situations.
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015
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