Dear Editor,
In his remarks at the opening ceremony for the 42nd Annual CARIFTA Games at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium on Good Friday, Prime Minister Perry G. Christie said the theme of this year's regional sporting event is "A celebration of Caribbean unity". He further said that Caribbean unity has always been the focus and the purpose of the CARIFTA Games.
Christie lauded the legendary Bahamian track star the late Tommy Robinson, the founder of CARIFTA, Barbadian Austin Sealy and the late Teddy McCook, former president of the North American and Caribbean Athletics Association and the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association. Christie also heaped praise on the People's Republic of China for donating the multi-million dollar sporting facility. Also bringing remarks at the opening ceremony was Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr. Daniel Johnson. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, neither Christie nor Johnson mentioned the Free National Movement (FNM) administration under Hubert Ingraham and the late Charles Maynard, who served as sports minister in the FNM's last term.
The Ingraham administration and Maynard oversaw the construction of the stadium and were instrumental in getting the organizers of the CARIFTA Games to hold the annual sporting event in The Bahamas this year. Despite this, Christie and Johnson didn't even have the decent courtesy to at least mention this. Credit should have been given to where credit is due. But Christie just couldn't bring himself to do this. Yet he wants to talk about Caribbean unity. Well, what about Bahamian unity? Is Caribbean unity more important than Bahamian unity? Truth be told, this Progressive Liberal Party government is the most divisive government in the history of the country. And Christie's CARIFTA remarks have only driven a bigger wedge between FNMs and PLPs. But, as I said to some upset FNMs, who felt that the late Maynard was slighted by Johnson and Christie, they should not expect more from these people.
- Kevin Evans
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