Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s. – (Matthew 22 v 21)
THE SITUATION on March 9, 2014 with former Barbados and West Indies opening batsman Desmond Haynes, when he was denied smooth access to the 3Ws and the Greenidge and Haynes Stands at Kensington Oval, was an eye- opener for all of us, especially those of us who follow cricket.
For a person such as Haynes, who has given so much to Barbados and West Indies cricket, one could not believe that such treatment should have been meted out to him. What a pity?
It only shows that when a person can no longer perform, one could be thrown into the rubbish heap. There are many persons who have found themselves in such a situation. I do feel that issue should have been avoided, once a proper protocol had been put in place. A list should be provided with the names of those with passes and given to the gatekeeper.
We have to be very careful in terms of the people who are placed at the entrance of places. Some of those people have bad human relationships and do not know how to deal with human beings like themselves.
Why should a man after whom a stand has been named not be given special treatment?
I am sure that if those persons who Haynes met at the entrance (gate) were trained in human relationships, with so much technology around, they would have made a call to someone in authority.
Secondly, we have to look at something called “power” which is often used in a bad way and when persons are entrusted with a little power. Gatekeepers, they can misuse it and they usually do. What a pity?
There are too many people who misuse they power they are given. Have you ever been to a funeral and asked the usher for another hymn sheet and you are told
“I gave you one already”.
I have experienced such already.
When Pedro Collins, the former Barbados and West Indies fast bowler said he had bought his ticket for the recent 20/20 cricket, it hurt me because I was of the opinion that former players were given complimentary tickets for the game.
Why not? I do hope as a result of the Desmond Haynes issue, that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) would put proper protocols in place to ensure that what happened would not occur again, as it relates to the treatment of the Cricket Legends and dignitaries entering Kensington Oval.
