Submitted by David Comissiong, President, Clement Payne Movement
So, why didn’t the Government of Barbados confer our country’s highest national honour on Tony Cozier during his lifetime? Why wasn’t he “Sir Tony Cozier”?
Similarly, why didn’t our regional university– the University of the West Indies – confer an honorary doctorate on Tony Cozier, as they have done for so many other less deserving Caribbean personalities? Why wasn’t he known as Dr. Tony Cozier?
The failure by Barbadian and Caribbean “officialdom” to properly appreciate and honour the late Tony Cozier is a cause for shame, and speaks volumes about the lack of understanding and the skewed value system of our national and regional leadership institutions!
There can be no doubt that Tony Cozier was a great “West Indian” and was deserving of the highest honours that our regional leadership has the power to confer.
But, don’t take it from me alone. Listen instead to the measured and weighty opinion of the eminent ground-breaking Caribbean “New World” economist and scholar – the late Lloyd Best.
Back in the year 1999, Lloyd Best, in collaboration with George Lamming, marked the turn of the millennium with the publication of a major compendium of West Indian or Caribbean writings entitled “Enterprise of the Indies”. And in an article titled “My All-Time West Indian Cricket Squad”, Lloyd Best declaimed as follows:-
“My starting line-up would read: Hunte, Greenidge, Headley, Richards, Sobers, Worrell, Walcott, Marshall, Holding, Roberts, Gibbs. The opening attack would normally be Sobers (2-3 overs) and Holding.
Finally, I would add Tony Cozier to make a squad of 18 in all. I fail to see how West Indies could ever travel without him. His writing may well be our most crucial resource.”
Now, Lloyd Best put his focus on the Cricket writings of Tony Cozier, but, as we all know, Cozier’s contribution went way beyond his exploits in the field of print journalism.
For close to 50 years Tony Cozier was “our man” – our representative West Indian man – in England, Australia, India, New Zealand, and in all the other regions of the world in which our West Indies Cricket team sojourned to be tested and assessed, not only for their Cricketing skills, but also for the value and worth of the people and “nation” that they represented.
And we had the comfort and assurance of knowing that even if our beloved Cricket team faltered on the field of battle, that our cause (and our worth as a people and “nation”) would still be held aloft in the commentary booth by our great Ambassador and champion – Tony Cozier!
Not only did we know that we could depend on Tony to self-evidently be the fairest and most knowledgeable, articulate and gracious commentator in the commentary box, but we also knew that we could depend on him to convey to the world-wide listening audience a mature and respectful sense of our trials, accomplishments, character, predicament, and dreams as a people and nation.
And let us be very clear about this. Tony Cozier was not merely the best West Indian or Caribbean cricket commentator: he was the best cricket commentator period! Like Sobers, Worrell and Headley before him, Tony Cozier proved that the very best in the entire world could emerge from a small Caribbean territory!
It also needs to be said that Tony Cozier was the outstanding example of the white Barbadian/West Indian who was able to come to terms with and transcend the racial contradictions and insecurities of the colonial era, and to fully embrace his identity as a citizen of the new predominantly Black independent nation.
This – as we all know – was not an easy task for many white Barbadians in the immediate post- Independence years of the late 1960’s. In fact, many of them opted to abandon Barbados and the Caribbean all together, and to run off to white Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Tony Cozier was the living example par excellence of the alternative option – a sensitive understanding of the shared history, heritage and culture that makes it possible for black and white Barbadians/West Indians to embrace a new common destiny, and a rejection of the white supremacy value system and its inability to countenance black leadership and achievement.
The truth is that there was no Barbadian– white or black–who was more “Bajan” than Tony Cozier! Just as there was no Bajan who was more West Indian than Tony Cozier! Furthermore, our Tony Cozier was a living embodiment of the holistic interconnectedness between a Barbadian identity and a wider, and potentially even more powerful, West Indian or Caribbean identity!
It is perhaps fitting that one of the last and most powerful images that Tony Cozier would have carried to the after-life is the image of the victorious Women’s and Men’s West Indies T20 Cricket teams “standing on top of the world” and joyously celebrating their Championship victories – in true ebullient West Indian style – for the whole admiring world to see.
I have no doubt that Tony Cozier, the consummate West Indian/Caribbean man , would want us to commemorate and celebrate his life by rededicating ourselves – with seriousness and integrity – to the twin causes of building the Caribbean nation and recapturing the glory days of his and our beloved West Indian cricket team.
May the great man rest in peace! And may his name always be remembered by lovers of the noble game of Cricket!
Why is it the majority of people will say why was he not made a Sir yet the powers that be would not heed?
Looking at the various Sir’s in Barbados would you aspire to be one as well?
One or two may be worth it but there are a lot that …. well … am …. I’ll say no more
Where were these encomiums during Mr Cozier’s lifetime? De mortuis nihil nisi bonis, I suppose (Of the dead speak nothing but good!)
Come to think of it he did enough in the world of cricket to be as deserving of an honorary degree as some of those on whom this honour has been conferred.
“eff Cumberbatch May 18, 2016 at 8:47 PM #
Where were these encomiums during Mr Cozier’s lifetime? De mortuis nihil nisi bonis, I suppose (Of the dead speak nothing but good!)”
Friends, romans, countrymen -Lend me your ears- I come to bury Caesar not to praise him- the evil that men do lives after them- the good is oft Interred with their bones – So let it not be with Tony-
Barbados could build a Sports Hall of Fame and a Wall of Honour.
@ Jeff,
I did not go to Cave Hill or U of T so I had to google ….”a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly.”
Jeff when you say, “Where were these encomiums during Mr Cozier’s lifetime?” do you mean the remarks from Commissiong specifically or ‘gratuitous’ praise generally!!!
By Tony Cozier’s own words it is evident that he actually received many well meaning words of praise and adulation over his lifetime…
” I’ve got so many awards, the wife says bring something else now. I was made an honorary member of the MCC, which is rare for a journalist. I got the silver crown of merit in Barbados, the second-highest honour for us.”
And to this matter of a knighthood the man said: “Recently one of the members of parliament said that I should be knighted because Barbados is still under the Queen. If it comes my way, though, I will not accept it.”
This from an interview in 2013.
What more can be said.
I think no one was expecting TC to leave the scene so soon.The only person who seem to have had an inkling was Dave Cameron.He said TC couldn’t see well hence he was not chosen for a recent tournament.
On another note the board is at it again hiding behind a rule for not choosing Gayle,Sammy,Bravo and Russell for the upcoming Tri Nation series next month.Wicb sure know how to deflate our cricketers and fans.A repeat of a Short story.
@Jeff
Where were these encomiums during Mr Cozier’s lifetime? De mortuis nihil nisi bonis, I suppose (Of the dead speak nothing but good!)
+++++++++++
To mangle the Great Book “a Prophet is not without honour except in his own country”,Hmmmnnnn I may be a bit off the mark but didn’t the Principal of Cave Hill establish some sort of Cricket Academy?. How come the powers that be not confer an Honourary Doctorate for his services to Cricket in the region (and the world)?
@Gabriel May 18, 2016 at 9:30 PM “I think no one was expecting TC to leave the scene so soon.”
I am not sure what you mean by “so soon”. According to 2013 World Health Organization statistics the life expectancy of a Barbadian man is 75.
http://www.who.int/countries/brb/en/
Mr. Cozier was 75.
For the rest of us who are there or thereabouts…the end is nigh.
That’s exactly how I saw Tony Cozier. He was a true Barbadian and a true Caribbean man. That transcended any racial issues. Though fair in his commentary one could not miss the extra bubble in his voice when we were doing well or the frustration when we threw it all away. How many of his complexion even care? Tucked away in their second Barbados but wanting to be acknowledged as fully Barbadian. I never even remembered that Cozier was white. He was just our man. Wonder why he wouldn’t consider a knighthood? Wonder if like myself he had a problem with the idea of an English queen of Barbados.
We think the petticoat of David Commissong is showing.
As much as a radical as he is supposed to be he has not been able to walk away from his other cleavages.
This is a big problem with the Caribbean red men. Even the best of Caribbean red men, Michael Manley, was so compromised, morally. This claim to power by Caribbean red men was one factor in the derailment of the Grenada Revolution.
Commisiong has shown that he has little knowledge about the use and basis for the award of honorary degrees. They certainly cannot be used professionally. But then again we live at a time where all types of grandiose social claims are made. And where the leaders of the ‘Black’ elites pretend to create a pecking order based on such fictitious claims.
This falsity has mobilized much social power for people like Hilary Beckles. He, has made such an award the central determinant of status for the local elites.
For a man who has previously, and rightly, spoken in support of republic it seems his ‘aristocracy of the skin’ now holds steadfastly to the trappings of empire. Commissong should exhibit a modicum of moral consistency.
And the award of such an honorary degree cannot result in the recipient being then known as Dr.
“And to this matter of a knighthood the man said: “Recently one of the members of parliament said that I should be knighted because Barbados is still under the Queen. If it comes my way, though, I will not accept it”
The quote could be wrong but it doesn’t make sense.
@Balance, back again Cerberus like guarding the gates of accuracy!
You are free to google the quote and check its validity. At this point an email to the journalist to affirm his notes and recordings of what Cozier said would be the next step. Further, ideally finding the name of the member of Parliament who allegedly made those remarks would close the deal.
I took it for granted that the details as printed were an accurate reflection of what the interviewer and interviewee did.
For a man who had the audacity to ascribe to an individual – who has written as extensively and has been relied upon for veracity as Cozier – as “full of hyperbole and statistics” and “… never took a definitive position on any issue preferring to sit on both sides of the fence…” I am quite suitably impressed by YOUR accuracy! (smile)
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/The-great-Tony-Cozier-and-the-hypocrisy-that-goes-with-cricket_60919
Another view!
i WONDER WHY THERE HAVE BEEN NO COMMENTS ON COZIER BY MARK NICHOLAS OR ANY OF THE AUSTRALIAN COMMENTATORS INCLUDING THE UBIQUITOUS IAN CHAPELL.
NOR HAS NOTHING BEEN SAID BY MOST (not all) OF THE ENGLISH COMMENTATORS.
IS IT BECAUSE HE SURPASSED THIS LOT?
Georgie Porgie,
It is not as simple as that. But knowing what I know about the treatment of colonials, I am not surprised.
i STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT……NOT EVEN ONE WORD?
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/81310/doyen-equal
Wrong colour …. and too good …. and fearless …… and said it like it was …….
The last three are no no’s here in Barbados which thrives on mediocrity a point which you often make …. if I understand you right.
I don’t think I ever heard him sucking up to anybody.
He had his own mind.
But ….. that fourth strike, wrong colour ……. man, it is a killer in apartheid Barbados!!
He was just too articulate for his own good.
Pics of Tony’s funeral.
https://www.facebook.com/BarbadosToday/photos/a.10153783633843191.1073742339.246784233190/10153783636538191/?type=3&theater
JOLLY GOOD SHOW DAVID. Bravo!
Does not seem that any of the radio stations covered the funeral live.
sHAME IF THEY DID NOT
Te radio stations into making money.
Test Match Special, Tony Cozier Tribute
I was flitting from station to station yesterday. All I heard was the routine musical & verbal diarrhoea. I recall listening to the late Don Norville’s funeral on radio years ago. Our society is regressing steadily……….and more so since 2008
Todays newspaper links on the late Tony Cozier
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/81489/tony-cozier-days
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/81495/tony-cozier
http://www.espncricinfo.com/blogs/content/story/1014755.html
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1017371.html
What I have learned most from all these articles is that from early in life Tony knew what he wanted to do, and he stuck to it and he did it all his life the best way he knew how to AND HE MADE LOTS OF PEOPLE HAPPY in the process.
Was Desmond Haynes at Tony Cozier funeral? Does anyone remember the squabble between Haynes & Cozier?
Barbadians are an amazing set of people. I am so fascinated with our sheepish,colonial mentality.It is utterly amazing when persons of a different hue to the majority of Barbadians die the feeling in this country is one that Barbados must come to a stand still the whole country must moan.
ND is so right about us.
DAVID
DID NOT KNOW ABOUT the squabble between Haynes & Cozier
can you enlighten
I remember Haynes quarrelling that he had to wait in line to get in to Kensington ,,,,,,, don’t these buggers know who I am …… but can’t remember any Haynes/Cozier squabble.
That was pretty recent
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2014/sports/03/12/desmond-haynes-wants-name-kensington-stand-snub/
@GP
Not aware of any squabble between Cozier and Haynes. Unless there was something around how Tony reported this story.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket-haynes-return-blocked-1567580.html
There are two classes in Barbados and they are determined by upbringing.
Desmond Haynes belongs to one class and Sir Everton Weekes belongs to another.
Both were expert technicians in their day.
Both have stands at Kensington named in their honour.
Both watched the ball carefully but one always had his other eye on the longer term, one did not.
One moves in circles into which the other cannot gain entry.
John;
you said above, referring to Desmond Haynes and Sir Everton Weekes
“One moves in circles into which the other cannot gain entry.”
Perhaps one of them does not want to gain entry to the upper circle! Perhaps moving in that circle is anathema to this generation but was prized by an earlier generation in which Sir Everton and Sir Garfield and perhaps a few others firmly fitted. Perhaps the naming of the stands is not what it was cut out to be, as Desmond Haynes found out to his chagrin?
The squabble I am referring to occurred around either in the late 1980’s or earlier 1990,s when Tony Cozier wrote an article highly critical of Desmond Haynes. I think it was around the period when Haynes was struggling to make runs for the West Indies and there was the belief that he should have been dropped from the team then.
It was reported that Haynes and Cozier had a confrontation and it was alleged that Desmond Haynes made unfortunate comments on Tony Cozier sexual preference
@ John…
You continue, by your writings, to reinforce the wide gap that exists between academic scholarship and basic common sense.
are-we-there-yet May 24, 2016 at 9:15 AM #
John;
you said above, referring to Desmond Haynes and Sir Everton Weekes
“One moves in circles into which the other cannot gain entry.”
Perhaps one of them does not want to gain entry to the upper circle! Perhaps moving in that circle is anathema to this generation but was prized by an earlier generation in which Sir Everton and Sir Garfield and perhaps a few others firmly fitted. Perhaps the naming of the stands is not what it was cut out to be, as Desmond Haynes found out to his chagrin?
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So why did Desmond Haynes want to gain entry to the 3W’s stand?
One of those W’s is of course, Sir Everton!!
That was what all the quarrel was about.
Desmond Haynes wanted to get into the 3W’s stand!!
There was no anathema about that stand/circle for him.
Haynes wanted to get in the 3W’s stand/circle and when he found nobody recognized him he then decided the naming of his stand was not to his liking.
He is allowed to ….. it’s a free country.
… but, as everybody in Barbados knows, Desmond Haynes included, the higher up the monkey climb the more you see he tail!!!
That’s why freedom is so important …. it allows people to see who is who by their acts!!!
It is important to watch people declare by their actions what is important to them and what is not … that way you can dispassionately decide if to enter their circle or leave well enough alone and give their company a pass.
It’s a free world after all!!!!!!!!!
Incidentally, I think I may have watched Rowe’s innings from that stand … and I had to wait in line to get in … like everybody else, but it may well have been the Challenor stand.
Pretty sure I watched Sobers and Davis from the Challenor stand!!
I might even be able to find the ticket!!!!!!!
Desmond Haynes came to prominence and faded after my two visits to Kensington so I have never been in his stand … probably never will … and not because it is anathema to me … it’s just that I reckon WI cricket is dead and should be buried.
I’ll still keep in touch with it on the internet … but doubt I’ll ever go to watch it again in my lifetime.
Just not worth the time and emotional investment!!
John; re. your above post;
I refer you to Bush Tea’s post of March 25th at 2:42 pm
John
You are out of order here with all due respect.
DESMOND HAYNES IS A LEGEND OF BARBADOS CRICKET
HIS 116 TEST MATCHES IS MORE THAN THAT PLAYED BY ANY OTHER BARBADIAN AND MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT PLAYED BY WEEKES
DESMOND SHOULD B ALLOWED IN ANY STAND AT THE OVAL
AS A MEMBER OF THE BCA I WAS ALLOWED TO ENTER ANY STAND BETWEEN 1978 and 2003, WHEN I LAST ATTENDED CRICKET AT KENSINGTON.
ALL THE LITTLE PUNKS PAID TO WORK AT THE GATES OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE HAYNES ON SIGHT AND LET HM IN. HE HAS WON THAT HONOUR AS A MEMBER OF PERHAPS THE MOST SUCESSFUL OPENING PARTNERSHIP IN ALL TEST CRICKET
DESMOND IS A VERY PLEASANT AND HUMBLE CHAP AND DESERVED TO BE TREATED BETTER THAN HE WAS
I AM SURE THE LIKKLE BLACK BOYS AT THE GATE RECOGNIZE DAVID ALLAN OR ARTHUR BETHEL etc CAUSE THESE ARE WHITE
You cannot make this stuff up.
Oops!
That should be May 24th at 2:42 pm!
“I AM SURE THE LIKKLE BLACK BOYS AT THE GATE RECOGNIZE DAVID ALLAN OR ARTHUR BETHEL etc CAUSE THESE ARE WHITE”
Sure they would and would make people in the line move for them to enter too.
Psychologically imbalanced we black people all are.
Yuh just CANNOT help some people…..
Fellas like John just CANNOT take a nice hint….
Georgie Porgie put it nicely ….probably because he did not wish to embarrass a fellow alumni, but Bushie has no such qualms …. AND has a big-ass whacker to-besides….
Listen Bud…. Bushie knows you, ….and Bushie knows Desmond…..and the Bushman can tell you without ANY fear of contradiction, that you are not worth the piss that Dessie relieves himself of …after a good beer.
Mr Haynes is a gentleman of the kind that made Barbados great back in the early post independence days. He speaks his mind, looks out for others, stands up for right, and loves Barbados.
Unlike you, he did not win multiple academic scholarships, but even today, if you travel to Australia, India, England ..and mention his name, Like Bushie, you will more often than not be met with a level of respect and reverence for the man that defines a true legend.
That some little shiite-gate keeper should choose to behave like the house-nigger that he obviously is, will no doubt feed your ingrained bias against those of us who you still see as ‘yard negroes’…..But it takes NOTHING away from Dessie.
Indeed, the fact that he uncharacteristically (for Bajan brass bowls) chose to highlight and protest that national insult even further reinforces the fact that this is a man of CLASS.
All your scholarships and academics …and you can do no better than dig around in old cemeteries and looking at old wills …all in your futile attempts to convince yourself that your ancestors (and by DNA, you yourself) are not the heartless and rabid animals that we see portrayed in all the true history around us.
You are not fit to untie Dessie’s laces John….. so get back to your quaker shiite instead.
Bushie
I dont understand how a man can be picking up tickets at the oval and dont know our stars and legends, such that he can not recognize Mr DL Haynes on sight
Reminds me of the day stupid Sulieman Benn was bowling a bit in front the Challenor Stand when Mr L R Gibbs spoke to him. The fool went in the players pavillion and was heard to say “Dat old man out today want to tell me how to bowl.'”
Some one said to him “You know who that old man is? You know dat he got over 300 test wickets?”,
@ GP
There are many of us who buy into John’s narrative about our slave ancestors having been ‘lucky’ to have had them as masters. It is not difficult to conceive of a situation where the ticket seller DID indeed recognise Dessie (who the hell – even someone totally unaware of cricket… did not know Desmond Haynes?) … but chose to disrespect him because Haynes does not ‘behave like he would prefer to be more like John’.
Give us a few keys and we can be more rabid against our own …than even John…..
What would you bet that Benn would immediately recognise John Emburey and Fred Titmus.. and give then due respect and reverence…?
Georgie Porgie May 25, 2016 at 4:19 PM #
John
You are out of order here with all due respect.
DESMOND HAYNES IS A LEGEND OF BARBADOS CRICKET
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Of Course he is a legend … but his behavior towards people who are far less fortunate than himself says all that is needed to be said about his class.
GP, you actually recognize that the people at the gate are “little punks” … I referred to them as buggers!!
But little punks or buggers aside …. they still are human beings and deserving of respect if not because of who they are, ie human beings, then certainly because of the position into which they have been put to keep order in entry.
How do you get from dealing with punks and buggers doing a job they have been put to do to threatening legal action on the BCA?
What does that say about your ability to firstly respect the job that the little punks and buggers were put to do and secondly to respect your fellow human being?
It belittles you!!
Desmond Haynes degraded himself in that action.
It is as simple as that.
I AM SURE THE LIKKLE BLACK BOYS AT THE GATE RECOGNIZE DAVID ALLAN OR ARTHUR BETHEL etc CAUSE THESE ARE WHITE
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Colour has nothing to do with it!!
It is not because they are “white”.
The interaction they would have had with the little punks/buggers would never have created a need to escalate to threatening legal action.
All that was necessary was for Desmond Haynes to say please check with your supervisor.
Some one around him could have vouched for his identity in case he was not recognized.
Maybe that was his problem …. no one recognized him and it hurt his feelings.
But again, hurt feelings aside, his reaction shows his class off the cricket field.
Bush Tea May 25, 2016 at 11:13 PM #
What would you bet that Benn would immediately recognise John Emburey and Fred Titmus.. and give then due respect and reverence…?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You have to be joking, you must live in la la land!!
If Erroll Barrow got down off his pedestal in Independence Square and started walking about Bridgetown, no one would recognize him!!
John who and Fred what?
You got to be joking!!
The only way Erroll Barrow would create a stir would be because people never seen a bronze man walking bout!!
They would probably run!!
Georgie Porgie May 25, 2016 at 10:27 PM #
Bushie
I dont understand how a man can be picking up tickets at the oval and dont know our stars and legends, such that he can not recognize Mr DL Haynes on sight
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It is called earning a living to feed your family!!!!!
People do a job to earn a living and feed their family, not because they have any special love or affinity for the job.
That is why they should get respect from don’t care who!!
Desmond Haynes belittled himself and showed what class he belongs to off the cricket field by that simple action.
Is anyone even capable of imagining Sir Garfield Sobers behaving like that?!!
No way, Sobers was brought up different.
Sobers is in a different class, both on and off the cricket field.
… and I bet Sobers came from humbler origins than did Desmond Haynes!!
Just followed a different path!!
Everybody makes their own choices in this life and by their choices they are known.
John May 26, 2016 at 10:45 AM #
Of Course he is a legend …
THEN SAY NO MORE JOHN
RE but his behavior towards people who are far less fortunate than himself says all that is needed to be said about his class.
THAT IS NOT TRUE JOHN. YOU OBVIOUSLY DO NOT KNOW MR HAYNES
RE But little punks or buggers aside …. they still are human beings and deserving of respect if not because of who they are, ie human beings, then certainly because of the position into which they have been put to keep order in entry.
BUT THY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE OUR LEGENDS AND GIVE THEM SPECIAL TREATMENT. YOU CANT TELL OUR LEGENDS THEY CANT ENTER STAND A OR B
How do you get from dealing with punks and buggers doing a job they have been put to do to threatening legal action on the BCA?
BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO HAVE A STAND NAMED AFTER YOU, YOU OUGHT TO BE HONOURED AND RESPECTED
What does that say about your ability to firstly respect the job that the little punks and buggers were put to do and secondly to respect your fellow human being?It belittles you!!Desmond Haynes degraded himself in that action.It is as simple as that.
NO JOHN HE WAS UPSET BECAUSE HE WAS NOT ACCORDED THE RESPECT DUE TO HIM WHICH HE EARNED.
IN MY HEYDAY AS PMO WHEN I WALKED INTO CENTRAL STATION AND A CONSTABLE TOL ME YO CANT GO IN THERE
I ASKED HIM “DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?
HE REPLIED I DONT HAVE TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE
THEN A VERY SENIOR OFFICER WALKED OUT THE GATE AND ASKED WE HOW HE COULD HELP AND TOOK ME WHERE I WANTED TO GO
TOO MANY PUNKS WID A LIKKLE JOB FOR THE DAY IN BARBADOS DOES DO BEAR BS
John May 26, 2016 at 10:51 AM #
I AM SURE THE LIKKLE BLACK BOYS AT THE GATE RECOGNIZE DAVID ALLAN OR ARTHUR BETHEL etc CAUSE THESE ARE WHITE
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Colour has nothing to do with it!! It is not because they are “white”.
COLOUR HAS ALL TO DO WITH IT
The interaction they would have had with the little punks/buggers would never have created a need to escalate to threatening legal action.
All that was necessary was for Desmond Haynes to say please check with your supervisor.
WHY? WHY SHOULD HE BE KEPT WAITING AT THE GATE BY A PUNK AT KENSINGTON. HE DONT GET KEEP WAITING AT LORDS……AND THERE IS NO STAND AT LORDS NAMED AFTER HIM
Some one around him could have vouched for his identity in case he was not recognized.
THE PUNK SHOULD NOT BE WORKING AT THE GATE IF HE DOES NOT KNOW WHO OUR LEGENDS ARE? WHERE HA THIS TWIT BEEN SINCE 1978? IN THE BUSH?
Maybe that was his problem …. no one recognized him and it hurt his feelings.
But again, hurt feelings aside, his reaction shows his class off the cricket field.
JOHN YOU ARE TELLING ME THAT YOU HAVE NEVER MET HAYNES
WHY WOULD BE HURT THAT HE WAS NOT RECOGNISED BY A NON ENTITY WHEN HE IS RECOGNISED ALL OVER THE WORLD AT CRICKET VENUES
BY THE WAY SOBERS DID NOT COME UP FROM HUMBLER ORIGINS
HE CAME UP AT A DIFFERENT TIME
SOBERS BOWLED AT WHITE MEN IN THE NETS AT THE BAY PASTURE
HAYNES WAS RESPECTED ENOUGH TO BECOME THE PRESIDENT OF A WHITE CRICKET CLUB IN BARBADOS
KEY WORDS HERE ARE
PRESIDENT
WHITE CRICKET CLUB
IN BARBADOS
RE Georgie Porgie May 26, 2016 at 11:17 AM #
I SHOULD SAY THE SENIOR OFFICER RECOGNIZED ME AND ADDRESSD ME BY MY NAME
Imagine if the incident happened at Lords … Desmond Haynes would have been whisked away by security, probably in an arm lock … afterwards, he would have received an apology … so sorry old chap, you should have said something earlier!!
… and if you are a legend ….. for Heaven’s sakes … behave like a legend!!
Colour is irrelevant!!!!
BY THE WAY SOBERS DID NOT COME UP FROM HUMBLER ORIGINS
HE CAME UP AT A DIFFERENT TIME
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Don’t understand the argument, seems to be a nonsequiter
People were far poorer in the 30’s and 40’s than in the 60’s and 70’s
In fact, if you look at infant mortality when Sobers was an infant we are extremely lucky we had him.
RE Imagine if the incident happened at Lords
WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AT LORDS HE WAS VIRTUALLY WORSHIPED THERE MAN
HE DID BEHAVE LIKE A LEGEND
HE SAID TAKE MY NAME OF THE STAND THAT BARES MY NAME, AND HE WAS RIGHT
I WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME
WHAT DID DESMOND LEO HAYNES DO YOU MAN?
WE BLACK PEOPLE IN BARBADOS MUST STAND UP TO BOTH BLACK AND WHITE PUNKS MAN
THEY HAD SOME WHITE MEN WHO WOULD CALL AND ASK ME ABOUT SICK ;LEAVE CERTIFICATES I WROTE TO THIER EMPLOYEES
I LET THEM KNOW
1 THAT I EARNED THE RIGHT TO WRITE THE CERTIFICATES
2 THAT I DID NOT SEE THEM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE IN ANY OF MY ORAL EXAMS
3 I THEN ASKED THE LORD TO DECREASE THEIR VISUAL ACUITY TO 0/0 IN BAJAN VERNACULAR
4 SLAMMED DOWN THE PHONE I THEIR EARS
sOBERS CAME UP IN THE BAYLAND JUST AS I DID…….I KNOW OF WHAT I SPEAK
RE BY THE WAY SOBERS DID NOT COME UP FROM HUMBLER ORIGINS
HE CAME UP AT A DIFFERENT TIME
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Don’t understand the argument, seems to be a nonsequiter
What I am saying in perfect English is that BLACK people born in Sobers time TENDED AND STILL TEND TO BEND DOWN AND BOW DOWN TO WHITES AS YOU SEEMED TO BE ACCUSTOMED TO FROM YOUR DRIVER AND CANE CUTTERS MAIDS AT YOU PLANTATION
HENCE BOYS LIKE SOBERS USED TO BOWL TO THE WHITE MEN AT THE BAY PASTURE. THEY GOT A QUART IF THE HIT THE STUMPS.
BLACK FOLK DIDNT EXPECT MUCH OR TO BE LIFTED TO HEIGHTS THEN
IN DESMONDS DAY BLACK FOLK TEND NOT TO TURN UP FOR WORK SO MUCH AT THE PLANTATION STEPS LOOKING FOR WUK OR TO CUT CANES, AND THEY TEND TO CUSS WHITE PEOPLE THAT THINK THEY IMPORTANT
THEY ALSO HAVE LITTLE TOLERANCE FOR LIKKLE PUNKS AND GATE KEEPERS WHO SEEK TO DENY THEM THIER JUST DESERTS
in barbados……COLOUR MEANS EVERYTHING EVEN TODAY NOTHING HAS CHANGED
@ GP
He did behave like a legend … a proud, black, one.
Thank you!!
It is becoming clearer why John is no Money Brain….
It is hard for the Johns of this world to understand a proud black man who respects himself, standing up for his rights. In his book, we should humbly ‘know our place’ and await some Quaker to come to our rescue…
As Bob Marley said…. ” We no know how we and them a go work this out…”
I learnt before I even went to HC to respect other people!!!
I got taught that by interacting with all colours and ages.
It probably worked against me at HC where those niceties were often flogged into those who hadn’t got the concept and who saw me as an easy mark.
… but flogging never worked!!!
I just put down my head and stuck to what I had learnt, listened to my chauffeur and it worked and worked well.
After school it also worked well.
I really don’t see any reason to modify what I learnt from young.
If some one chooses to hog up a person who is not as fortunate as he is of course he is free to do so ….. but I am also free to decide to give the person a wide berth and call him on it, regardless of colour.
I was always taught to stand up for the under dog.
18Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
19Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
There are no spoils in the once proud West Indies cricket to divide.
When I got to HC I GOT THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WHITE WAS RIGHT
Haynes was better than me.. He didnt get to HC SO HE DIDNT MEET UP WID DAT SHITE!
PROBABLY THAT IS WHY AS A BLACK MAN HE BECAME PRESIDENT OF A WHITE CRICKET CLUB IN BARBADOS
JOHN YOU DONT KNOW HAYNES
YOU HAVE NEVER INTERACTED WITH THE MAN AT CRICKET OR OUT OF CRICKET
WHY YOU HATE THE MAN SO?
PERHAPS HAYNES MIGHT HAVE DONE BETTER IF HE HAD A BLACK CHAUFEUR ah lie?
GIVE IT UP JOHN PLEASE!
YOU HAVE TO BE SPECIAL TO BECOME THE
PRESIDENT
OF A WHITE CRICKET CLUB
IN BARBADOS
where the white members had chauffer to drive them to HC
GP
The chauffer that drove me to HC was called Mum!!
… and yes, I watched a multitude of other children go by who were far less fortunate than me, not because I had access to a car but because I had access to a parent!!
You are right, I don’t know Desmond Haynes
I have never met him
I reckon he is about my age and I may well have seen him as a boy in passing.
But, what I see from the news report is that he behaved disrespectfully to someone who was less fortunate than himself.
That is something I don’t like.
I said nothing at the time, did not even follow the incident, only know what is recorded in the press because I had a vague memory and I googled it.
… and I thought a lot about it.
Normally I would operate on the principle leave well enough alone but in thinking about the mechanics of what appears to have happened … I agree … appears ….. it just did not sit right and as the old people would say … a mind told me do it.
People make mistakes, including a president of a white cricket club, and I feel he made a big one here, so after the fact … I admit … I raised it.
I really should have done it at the time and researched it properly but I did not.
And you are right … maybe I should have left it alone … but something inside me told me I need to say something … so I did!!
I actually learnt a lot in the exercise.
I realized that most Bajans have been raised by children!!
The four hours those children I passed spent going to and from school in the bus system, I spent with parents, grand parents, uncles, aunts, labourers, grooms, superintendants, maids, tractor drivers etc etc etc.
I spent them with adults, and not just adults, but adults who had a care and interest in my welfare and upbringing!!
I understand a lot more now about Barbados!!
I count myself lucky to have been raised by such caring adults and bear no shame whatsoever for the privilege I had.
GP, my bet is you were also privileged!!
The fact that adults cared enough to make sure your time was occupied singing in the choir and attending confirmation classes tells me there are distinct similarities in our upbringings.
We both had caring adults looking out for us and always there for us, the majority of children in Barbados do not and did not.
Someone may come to me one day and show me that it was really Desmond Haynes who was the underdog in the exchange and I got it all wrong.
I would welcome the day, I like to be shown I am wrong, but somehow I know I will not see it!!
Well looka my crosses, ain’t been bout dis place for a while but the same old argument still moving-on.
Strange as shite tho that 2 kolig boys one black and one white leading dis fray. One from a poor humble broughtupcy de other coming up wid means and chauffeur and ting so and both say they get award scholarships fighting dis good fight.
Looka how things does fracture though! And both being so nice to each udder too. Oh effing, give me a break.
Dessie had every right to be shocked that he was not recognized by a gate-attendant at Kensignton. Jesus this is little Bim who don’t know dem west indian cricketers dem.
The only saving grace is that a cricket fan don’t want to work nah gate. They want to watch the game. So if you working de gate den maybe you really just want some blenza and yah really don’t give two hoots bout the cricket. So maybe de fella or gal really was a cricket doufus in trute.
Dat sorta thing does happen from time to time when de star can’t get past de gate but good lawd its one incident so how can yah judge Dessie character pon dat.
A bajan – young too- wid he name pon a stand get refuse entry jus so…de man was shocked and taken aback. Probably thought de fella was pulling he leg or such. So of course he may have reacted out of character.
If it did was Jim Wedderburn and somebody tell he carry he backside if he wanted to get into Stadium FOC for an athletic event den one cud understand dat, cause Jimmy brought pride to Bim at Olympics wid bronze before I was born I think. And peeps would likely not know him on sight. But not knowing Des Haynes just the udder day.
Dah was pure conism.
Give it up!
John
You dont know how it is to be BLACK in Barbados and have fellow BLACKS seek to put you down (not only as is done here on BU) but to your face.
As a Dr most white people respected me, even if it is because they felt I was worthy because of my academic achievements. Many BLACK folk dont give you that.
I have been at cricket and seen white tourists from England Australia etc treat Haynes like a God. But a few likkle gate keepers dont let him into a stand? He is a high ranking of the Association that employed them. I can not understand how you cant see that you are wrong.
IF I AM TO BE HONOURED BY HAVING MY NAME ON A STAND AND A LIKKLE GATE KEEPER DONT KNOWM ME WELL TAKE MY NAME DOWN.
He also at the time said I HOPE THAT THIS TREATMENT IS NOT BEING DEALT OUT TO SIR GARRY.
In fact a prerequisite to working the gates or other jobs at Kensington must be that the worker have a knowledge of cricket over basketball or UK football.
Georgie Porgie May 26, 2016 at 4:26 PM #
John
You dont know how it is to be BLACK in Barbados and have fellow BLACKS seek to put you down (not only as is done here on BU) but to your face.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Been there, done that from childhood.
… except, people may not describe me as black !!
… and I have had both colours do it to me.
The problem the people who put you down have is a deeply emotional one.
Both you and I are privileged.
The beef those people have is portrayed as money, car , chauffer, the physical obvious differences.
That is why I have kept talking about my chauffer who was my mother, to rile them up.
The problem is an emotional one.
Both you and I had adults in our lives who made sure our time was allocated and saw to it our friends did not pull us down.
We both think different from adults who did not have that sustained intervention when they were children.
We may not think the same but who does!!
Do you realise how many children did not have this privilege?
… and it marks you in simple ways.
You stand out from the crowd.
… and if you happen to have half a brain, you are in trouble because many never learned how to use theirs.
This privilege creates two different classes and they are not related to colour.
I have watched blood relatives grow up with parents who were constantly spreeing and had no time for them.
I see the same resentment in their eyes and actions towards me that I have experienced with people who don’t know me but know I had caring adults bring me up.
Colour is not the issue …. it is all in the mind.
We are marked by that loving care and we take it for granted because it was always there when we were children.
We assume everybody had it … but most did not.
It is really sad and not much can be done about it now.
I learnt on the hikes … put your head down and keep walking … you will get back home!!
…. and I don’t want my name put on any thing except my tombstone … and I am seriously thinking it should not even go there!!
John;
For the first time in this blog you have said something with which I can emphathize. That is your concept of a difference between the bajan people based on parents who do everything necessary to ensure that their children have a better life than theirs. I do not think it explains the differences you appear to see re. Desmond Haynes and Sir Garry or Everton Weekes but it is a general aspect of bajan life that has been very influential in moulding generations of youngsters and making them set their goals at higher levels and thereby partially explains bajan achievements vis-a-vis most of our caricom neighbours.
The good news is that there are several parents of all the social strata who, by their devotion to their children, putting themselves out to send them to lessons, getting them involved in various games, etc, are continuing that tradition. One just has to have a grandchild or child of nursery, primary or secondary school age and be in the habit of taking him or her to school and the other numerous extracurricular activities to observe how several parents go all out for their children.
Bad news is that there are also several parents who are absent or do the opposite.
Having identified the weaknesses in my contribution I went to the head of the spring to clarify what actually happened.
It wasn’t that Desmond Haynes was not recognized, he was in the habit of going and coming as he pleased!!
…. but … on the particular day … ICC ruled and security was beefed up!!!
Probably was a test match under its auspices and security was of paramount importance.
Desmond Haynes did not have a pass ….. and things went from there!!
Everybody knew who he was but there were different rules in force with different enforcers and he was in breach.
The differences I outlined between the two classes in Barbados … the world too … I think would manifest themselves in a doctors office as follows.
People who are comfortable dealing with adults will realise they are in the presence of a friend, the doctor, who together with them will work to defeat the enemy that is the cause of their visit.
Apart from the visit for help, they will also be there for a normal visit and they will enquire after the doctor’s health and be generally nice towards a person they regard as a friend.
People who are not comfortable dealing with adults will be reticent.
They are emotional cripples.
They will probably cause themselves more harm than they realise because they will hold back on what they tell the doctor because they are scared it will make them appear weak.
Colour does not enter into it, emotional maturity is what a visit to the doctor is all about!!
In Barbados, most emotional cripples will be “black” for the simple reason that Barbados is predominately “black” …. but plenty “white” ones exist too!!