More than just cricket
Editorial
Guyana Chronicle
March 22, 2007
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo had a consistent message in public engagements yesterday – Cricket World Cup is more than just cricket.
In a note that should strike a chord in all nationalists, he said the tournament should be the spark that brings all Guyanese together.
Addressing the 1,350 volunteers recruited to work for the six matches in the Super Eight category of the tournament, Mr. Jagdeo said he would love to see every Guyanese with a flag in their hand or posted on their home to awaken the national pride.
Flags are up in front of some houses in the city and more are likely to be strung up as the event draws nearer.
It’s a grand time for all to be showing the national flag, to ensure that our colours fly high during the CWC period, and beyond.
At the National Cultural Centre, Mr. Jagdeo thanked the volunteers for coming out and to help the world see the “the face of Guyana” and said far more than making cricket a success, they would be participating in a “culture change” -- that of spurring national pride.
He rightly said that hosting CWC represents a “Herculean effort” and expects it will be one that will help break down negative vibes about Guyana, and help to boost tourism.
“This is a national effort. It is Guyana on show”, he noted.
Indeed, and it behoves all to put their best feet and faces forward to show a Guyana not sullied by the persistent bad images that have long dogged it overseas.
“We have a few (days) more and the test is now. All the work that we did over the years, all the nights of worry and the nights of fear that we may not be able to raise the money or we may have to raise it commercially (to build the stadium)…we have passed that stage now,” the President said at another function yesterday.
“I hope that this event will add to the sense of national pride that we have. We are (will be) on show - all of us to the world, and I hope that we will work together to ensure that we become successful.”
The CWC here, for President Jagdeo, also marks an “historic point” for Guyana, with what he said is tangible evidence of the growing unity and togetherness among Guyanese and the positive vibes and attitudes being exuded with regards to progress and development in the country.
“We have to more and more realise that we face an external world that is often hostile to countries like ours in terms of politics and in terms of international trade and economic relations - a world that has not catered for the needs of small countries but a world that is becoming increasingly xenophobic and selfish.”
“And if we are united as a people, we can face those challenges more because if we do not do that, what we find is that a country like ours would continue to haemorrhage and lose welfare and eventually not be sustainable.”
“So we have to overcome the traditional differences, the things that have kept our people divided for a very long time – the politics and the rumours and the racism and work together as a single people,” he urged.
It’s a timely message full of relevance to a country at a critical juncture of its history.