Let us be brutally honest!
Or at least stay close with the truth!
The people of this country have extremely short memories, we forget easily and jump on bandwagons quickly. However, the reality is that most if not all of our athletes at the Commonwealth Games have been poorly treated in terms of funding and financial support from both corporate T&T and our government.
Dylan Carter, a 2018 reigning Commonwealth Games silver medallist is a prime example when it comes to this lack of support deliberate or otherwise. This young athlete who has flown the red, white and black national flag at the Gold Coast Games down under already after he climb the podium for the silver medal which created history in the 50 metres butterfly event last Friday, does not ask for much and goes about representing his country. He has done it from youth level to now senior ranks without any noise or fanfare and so the average person believes all is well with him.
My question is why should Dylan Carter’s parents have to finance their son's sporting career for as long as they have. He brings excellence and promotes the country on the international stage year after year. Just because he does not complain or quarrel, or don't make as much noises as others mean he's not in need of assistance as an Elite athlete.
There's no doubt that Carter, 22, is one of the future faces of our sports and need the necessary support, and so to, the many other promising Carters out there as well. When you look at the absolute respect that Carter has earned in his short time on the international level it's phenomenal and signifies what some of us already know, the pedigree and class of the athlete.
I have known Carter since his days at Fatima College when he and Joshua Romany (Dean Romany’s son) and others would come and talk about swimming, education and life, as 15-year olds, so yes, seven-years later, the progression and more importantly transition is a credit to their family life (Edward and Tracy Carter and the Romany’s) and upbringing.
Carter’s exploits have made us all proud again, it has lifted this country at a time when it not only needs it, but was dying for something positive. This positivity was felt and displayed at every corner shop, home, every workplace, every government office, in every taxi and on the streets of our twin island country.
Anyway, Let us hope that most if not all of the monies invested so far by his parents can in some way be reimbursed through the proper channels in this country so that other parents can understand that the financial sacrifices which are needed by them (early in the morning pool time, transportation, school, meets, coaches and nutrition) can in some way be rewarded and not with just a – Thank you -.
Going forward, the citizens of T&T need to display respect for every single athlete no matter their race, colour or creed and we need to be fair with all of them and not give hidden bias financial support to those we believe are less disadvantage over another. That sort of preferential treatment or lack thereof is unfair and unacceptable.
