Dana Seetahal wrote an interesting commentary in the Express newspaper yesterday. It focuses on the many tributes we've given to Keshorn Walcott due to him winning the Olympic Gold in javelin this year.

She more or less condemned the number of gifts given to Keshorn...she described it as "the Government went overboard in their recognition of (his) achievement"...she might have well called us a bunch of 'never see come sees' or, as the hoity-toity would say, 'nouveau riche', but what hurt me most is when she wrote how she was flabbergasted over his receiving our highest National Award...the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. So, I must object.

Ms Seetahal, in a country ethnically composed as we are and considering how short we are of excellent MALE role models for at least one grouping (I didn't invent that, the leaders of that group said so), I cannot agree with you at all on this. Young Walcott deserves even greater recognition than what he got...in case you forgot what he did to deserve what he already got and what is still to come to him, I will shortly remind you (and everyone whose memory is short) one more time...you did say you were speaking for others as well, didn't you?

Dana, I salute this government for honouring Keshorn extensively while he can enjoy and benefit from the honour (you suggested the award he got should be reserved for lifetime achievement, what achievement could be more 'lifetime' than an Olympic Gold Medal? It took us forever to get our 1st one, 36 years to get our 2nd one and the 2nd one was the 1st ever in a field event in the Western Hemisphere for more than 60 years! How could you forget those facts? They occurred a short time ago. I hope you aren't suggesting criteria for issuing the award be shortened so that it's reserved exclusively for persons who are dead?).

So, come on, Dana, woman to woman, don't rain on Keshorn's parade! We don't know if we will ever see such a performance in our lifetime again, which also means we who wish to honour people we see doing honourable things in our own lifetime, must not wait to honour them posthumously.

Nathalia la Foucade

Federation Park